Childhood Friends
by Crystalgurl101
Summary: My first story! The Ham Hams meet Crystal. She's sweet, brave, pretty, fast and lots of fun to be with. But she has a secret. A long time ago when she was a child, she met a young boy. His name was Stan... Don't be cruel when R&Ring!
1. The Beginning Of It All

Childhood Friends

**A/N: Hi, this is crystalgurl101. This is my first story, so _pleeeaaase _be sensitive! Oh, by the way, the star thingys----those things, means someone is thinking. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Stan's Target!

One sunny morning, Hamtaro was making his way towards the clubhouse. He was trying to think of something he and the Ham-Hams could do. "Hmmm...maybe we should invent a new game! Or go on one of those 'field trips' to the museum! Or we can go collect some more acorns, on account Bossman is a bit short on...aaaahhhhhh!" Suddenly, Hamtaro stumbled and fell flat on his face. "Man, what the hell was THAT?" he exclaimed. He stood up and turned around. A shiny red ball attached to a stick had been under his foot. "Hey! Doesn't that look alot like one of Stan's mar-aaaaaahhhhhh!" Suddenly, a strong paw grabbed his arm and began to drag him towards the bushes! Hamtaro began to kick and scream and struggle. "Aaaahhh! Lemme go! I didn't do anything! I don't have any money! I..."

"SHHH! She'll see ya, birdbrain!" said a voice. Hamtaro looked up. "S-Stan? What are you doing here?" he asked. "Be quiet ham-dude, before she hears you!" Stan hushed him again. Hamtaro cocked his head. "Heke? Who's SHE? And why are you hiding in this bush? Are you SPYING?" Hamtaro demanded. Stan sighed. "If you MUST know, there's a cute new baby girl in town. And I wanna get my paws on her, before some other casanova wannabe does!" Stan boasted. Hamtaro snorted and rolled his eyes. Yup, that was Stan all right! He was always hitting on every girl he met...and that was always a problem with some of the guys in the clubhouse! He always flirted with Bijou and Pashmina, two Ham-Ham girls at the clubhouse.

Bijou, was the prettiest of all the others with her pure snow-white fur, her french accent and ways, her delicate nature, her gorgeous diamond eyes, and of course, the white pigtails she wore and the blue silk hair ribbons she tied around each one. Pashmina was the responsible and "good girl" of the other females. She was white and a golden yellow with a friendly smile, bright eyes, and the beautiful pink scarf she always wore around her neck. There were three other girls in the gang, the ones Stan DIDN'T flirt with. They were Sandy, Penelope, and Pepper. Why, you ask? 1). Penelope was just a baby, with a yellow blankie worn over her body. 2). Pepper was already Oxnard's (Hamtaro's best friend) girlfriend, so she was taken. 3). Sandy was Stan's twin sister, so Sandy had the exact same brown tiger stripes, shiny orange and white fur that he had. The only difference was that Sandy had a small orange ponytail and a red ribbon tied over her tail. Pepper was brown and white with a red hankie wrapped around her neck and two brown braided pigtails with two small red ribbons on the end of each one.

"My woman lives in that house over there." Stan pointed at a large white mansion with citrus-colored outlines. (Citrus is another word for orange) "Wow! It's as big as Bij's place!" Hamtaro exclaimed. "Bij " was the nickname the Ham-Hams sometimes gave to Bijou. "Yea, I know!" Stan nodded. "Hey, Hamtaro. Look!" Hamtaro noticed Stan point to a window in the mansion. A girl with dark brown hair around the age of twelve was placing a hot pink hamster cage on the windowsill. He saw her lean down and say something inside it and smiling brightly. "Uhhh, why is she talking to the cage?" Hamtaro whispered to Stan. Stan rolled his eyes. "Ugh! No stupid! She's talking to the hamster!" Stan scoffed. "I don't see no hamster!" Hamtaro squinted. Stan slapped his forehead. "Of course we don't! We're ACROSS the street! Think!" he shouted, pointing at the street between the two boy hamsters and the mansion. "Oh," Hamtaro sweatdropped. I don't know WHY Bijou fell for this guy anyways! Stan thought to himself. Finally Hamtaro sighed and stood up.

"Well, g' luck with the lady-ham, Stan. I'm out. Bye!" Hamtaro said quickly and began to walk off. But Stan grabbed his maraca and used it to trip Hamtaro. "Hey!" he complained. "You're not going anywhere Mr. Romantic! You're gonna help me!" Stan told him. "WHAT? B-But I wanna see Bi-uhh, I mean the Ham-Hams!" Hamtaro whined. Stan stared at the mansion. "You can see your little girlfriend later. But right now, I need your help!" Stan sighed. Hamtaro shot him a glare. "Bijou is **NOT **my girlfriend! I mean, she IS a girl and a friend. But she's not my girlfriend!" Hamtaro protested. Stan smirked. "Who said I was talkin' about Bijou?" he scoffed. Oops... Hamtaro thought as his cheeks began to burn. He didn't know why, but lately, Bijou had been stuck to his brain like super glue. He just couldn't shake her off! "W-Well...why do I have to help you?" Hamtaro changed the subject. "Cause, you hooked up Oxy with that Pepper chick. So now, you're gonna help me hook up with a littlegirl o' my own...!

_To be con't..._

**A/N: Sooo? Whatcha think? I know, sux, right? Don't worry! I'll try harder next time! Stay tuned!**


	2. Her Name Was Crystal

**A/N: How was Chapter 1? Who cares! Lol**

**Disclaimer: In case ya'll are wondering, I do not own Hamtaro! Although, I don't know why people even ask! Isn't Ritsuko Kawaii in like what, Japan or something?**

**Special Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Stan the Ham Ham, my first reviewer, and to all my friends, because today--June 16th-- was the last day of middle school. So, let's just say, I wasn't exactly "excited" about leaving...especially when some of your closest friends are either moving OR going to another school in the same town! In other words, me and my friends bawled like babies! It's not going to be easy moving on to high school, but hey, at least I've got two whole months to worry about that! But for now, let's just move on with the second chapter. Well, here you go!**

Chapter 2: Her Name Was Crystal

About a week had passed since Stan and Hamtaro had first seen the human girl with the hot pink cage. Today, five young hamsters were walking towards the town park for a meeting with their other hamster friends. Four of them were teasing the fifth one.

"...c'mon Bijou, admit it!" a teasing Pashmina urged, a smirk across her face. "Yeah Bijou, we can like, tell you're totally crushing on him!" valley girl Sandy cooed. "For zee last time, I do **not** like him, and you cannot make moi admit eet!" Bijou sighed, exasperated with her girlfriends' teasings. "OKWEE! OKWEE! OKWEE!" baby Penelope began to hop up and down like crazy. Pashmina smiled evilly, knowing **exactly **what Penelope had just said. Judging by Pashmina's facial expression, Pepper knew what Penelope had just said as well. "Penny's right, Bijou. You **do** like Hamtaro! You just keep denying it!" she retorted. Bijou watched Sandy and Pashmina snicker as her face grew hot and steamy. "W-What? I-I do n-not, I mean, I umm..." she stumbled through her words. But the girls didn't need proof anymore . Besides, Bijou was bad at lying.

"Awww! You're blushing!" Pepper taunted the french hamster. Sandy, Pashmina and Penelope began to laugh out loud. Finally, Bijou couldn't take it any more. "OKAY! OKAY! I'LL ADMIT EET EEF ZHAT EEZ WHAT YOU WANT SO BAD!" she exploded. The other girls stared. "O-Oookaaay. Not exactly what I expected to hear from Bijou!" Sandy raised an eyebrow. Embarassed, Bijou lowered her head. "Oopsie," she mumbled. "Sorry Bij. We didn't mean to piss you off!" Pepper frowned. But Bijou just shook her head. "No, no. Eet was my fault for blowing up like zhat. I didn't mean to be so sensitive." she admitted. "Soo..do you want to tell us or not?" Pashmina asked. "Cause if you don't want to, that's totally alright with us, right gals?" Sandy turned to the others. "Awww! But I thought we were gonna--" Immedietaly, Pashmina nudged Pepper to stop her from talking. "Uhh, I mean yeah! It's okay with us!" Pepper finished, knowing she was half-lying. Bijou sighed, as she made her decision. "Alright zhen, zee truth eez..."

**A/N: Ooh! Cliffhanger! Now personally, I HATE cliffhangers, but, hey! It's fun to torture you guys! Lol, I'm just playin' with you all! Now I know why authors put in cliffhangers! But don't worry, it's not over yet. This is just HALF of the chapter! Or a third of it. I'm not sure yet...oh well. Next scene!**

Meanwhile, while the five Ham Ham girls were laughing and giggling, they just happened to pass the white and orange mansion. In a window by the backyard, inside the hamster cage, a young girl hamster was crawling out of her hamster house--actually, it was more like a hamster mansion! The girl hamster was a beautiful shade combo of white and creamy brown. Her forehead, ears, cheeks, and back were brown while the rest was white. She had a brown ponytail on the back of her head--a bit longer than one of Bijou's pigtails. It was clipped with a pink flower-shaped hairclip barette. She shook her body from head to toe and opened her eyelids. She had big, brown innocent eyes. But when lit up by the sunlight, she seemed to have an aqua-green colored shine in the corner of them.

The girl let out a small yawn. "Hmm, what a nap! The fifth one this week though." the girl muttered the last sentence in distaste. She began to "kushi-kushi", bored out of her mind. Despite her large cage space, many toys and the delicious foods she recieved every day, it wasn't enough to please the hamster every day. The girl hamster walked towards the bars of her cage and stared out the huge window in front of her. The white cotton clouds hovered across the sky. The refreshing outside breeze whispered through her soft well-groomed fur. The outside animals sang, chirped, barked and squealed. The girl sighed. She was rich...but lonely. "I wish I could go outside again. But I can't. We left home and moved here, and now, Catrina needs me more than ever! Oh well, I don't blame. She's been crying at night since the first night we got here!"

Just then, a woman came in through the door of the bedroom. Hey! It's the maid, Chantal! Is it Laundry Day again? the girl thought. The hamster began to rattle the cage excitedly. Chantal turned and smiled. "Hi, uhh..Catrina's hamster who's name I keep forgetting!" she blushed. The girl frowned. Ugh! Why does she **always** forget my name? It's not **that **hard to remember! her mind sighed.(**A/N: I ain't revealing her name yet! But if you're smart, you'll know what it is!**) "I'm just here to pick up Catrina's laundry." Chantal told her. What I tell you? the girl smirked. By the way, where is she? Sensing the hamster's thoughts, Chantal looked at her. Sure enough, the tiny family pet was eyeing the door, wodering if her twelve-year-old owner would walk into the room, a smile on her face. "Oh sorry, honey. Catrina went out with her new neighbors' daughter. I think her name was Maria. Anyways, she isn't due back 'til 5 o' clock." Chantal explained. WHAT? the hamster was shocked.

After Chantal left, the hamster slumped back against the wall of her ham-house. "Crap! Even **she's **out having fun? But she was the homesick one!" Just then, she stopped. "Wait! If everyone's out, and **I'm **all alone, then that means..." She turned around. "Lemme do the math..." Time passed. She smiled. "Yaaayyy! PARTY TIIIIMME!" she squealed. Quickly, the hamster slipped out of her cage and raced out the windowsill. "Whoa!" Suddenly, she stopped when she found herself looking down from two stories up. "Uh-oh. How am I gonna get down **there**?" she asked herself. Looking up, the girl-ham saw a tree branch not too far away. "Lemme do the math..." she whispered again. Time passed. "Yup! It's possible!" Carefully, she took a step back, and..."GERANAMOOOO!" she squealed. The hamster soared throught the air and landed right on the branch. "Whew! That was quite the flight!" she giggled. And so, the girl-ham crawled down the tree and escaped into the wonderful outside world.

_A few seconds later_...

"OW! Hamtaro, that was my foot!"

"Sorry Stan, but I tripped over this _stupid _rock!"

"Heke? That ain't no rock...that's a sunflower seed." Stan picked up the seed to show the dumbfounded Hamtaro. "Oh." Hamtaro blinked. Just then, Stan smiled. "Hamtaro! Yo dude, I think we're getting close to her!" he said excitedly. "Gee, ya think? _We're hiding in her garden_!" Hamtaro pointed out. Sure enough, the two boys were creeping nearby the girl's backyard. "Oh great. Now, you've ruined the moment!" Stan sulked. Stan crept closer to the window. 'Soo, how is this girl like? As in, what does she look like?" Hamtaro questioned. "Dunno. Never seen her." Stan said boredly. "WHAT? WHADDAYA MEAN YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HER?" Hamtaro's eyes popped out of his head. "I mean, I've never seen how she looks like. Duh!" Stan replied. "Oh my God! Are you telling me you want some girl you've never **seen **before..actually go out with you?" Hamtaro gaped. "Yea!" Stan shrugged. "Honestly Stan, do you have any idea how stupid that is? That girl might think you're a stalker and call the cops!" Hamtaro warned. "Besides, what if it's not a hamster?"

"Whaddaya mean?" Stan turned to look at Hamtaro. "I mean, that cage could have a gerbil, or a guinea pig in there instead of a hamster!" Hamtaro stated. "Pfft! Gerbils do **not **live in hamster cages!" Stan just scoffed. "Hamster cages? Dude, they're the exact same thing!" Hamtaro sighed. "Are not! Ham-cages are much better than gerbil cages!" Stan told him. "Racist.." Hamtaro mumbled under his breath. "Well, what if that 'ham-cage' has a boy-ham inside? You'll look like a homo!" Hamtaro added. "Men do not live in pink cages! That's just plain gay...and it's wrong!" Stan grimaced at the thought of living in a world of pink. _Scary! _However, Hamtaro wasn't going to give up so easy."Oh yeah? Well, what if--"

"OUCHIE!" Stan suddenly yelped in pain. "WASN'T ME!" Hamtaro shouted, holding out his paws innocently. "No, not you stupid! I stepped on something!" Stan hissed, massaging his right foot. "You alright?" Hamtaro cocked an eyebrow. Stan seemed to be in pain. "Yea, I guess. But what was that--!" Just then, Stan stopped in his tracks. "What?" Hamtaro perked up curiously. "Check this out!" Stan blinked. Slowly, he picked up what had pricked his foot. To Hamtaro, it looked like some sort of small, pink, shiny thingamabob. "What is that? Wait...it's not _evil_..is it?" Hamtaro asked, backing away ever so slightly. "No Hamtaro, it's infected with brain viruses from Neptune..of course it's not evil! Now take a closer look!" Stan told him. Hamtaro still felt doubtful, but obeyed Stan. Now Hamtaro had a better view of what was in Stan's paw. It was a hamster-sized flower shaped hairclip. "It looks so familiar. Almost like from..."

Suddenly, Stan's mind began to overflow with childhood memories from the distant past. "Wait a sec! Now, I remember!" he shouted excitedly. "Uhhh, dude. Now would be a really good time for an explanation!" Hamtaro waved his little paws. "Hamtaro...I never told you and the Ham-Hams trhis, but a little while after me and Sandy were seperated, Noel took me to the city. And that's where I met..Her," Stan said, a smile spread on his face. "Who?" Hamtaro questioned. "A girl. And..and her name was Crystal..."

_ To be con't..._

**A/N: Sorry that chapter 2 took so long! ( But it's not easy when you have to go to see your orthadonist...in Manhattan(and I don't live in Manhattan, I live in Long Island, thank-Q very much) and making sure you don't get in trouble with your mom for hogging the computer so much! Or the fact that I'm always out of the house. I promise, I'll try harder, even if it kills me! Well, not really. Anyways, chapter 3 is comin' around the corner! By the way, this ain't gonna be the only story I've planned out. I've already written out--about 6 or 7 stories in case you're wondering! Check out my profile for quick summaries and some quotes from each one. **

**Well, crystalgurl101 out! Gotta write down chappie 3! **

**Love ya all, bye! 3**


	3. You Remind Me Of Somebody!

**A/N: I read the first 5 reviews and I just wanna say thank-Q all 4 being so sweet. And as a reward, I wanna give you each a message:**

**i-luv-kitkats- You are so nice! By the way, I JUST read your story "HamHam Take Away" before typing up Chapter 3. Ironic that we both reviewed each other's stories, no? By the way, it's hilarious! Luved it!**

**Wolfenheim- It's okay if you wanna stop reading if things get a little _too_ romantic. But I'll try writing up a horror story since I know you love 'em so much! I can tell since you've already written two of 'em:P Besides, I've seen enough PG-13 movies to get me planning. **

**Da Milkman- Your review totally boosted my confidence! And yes, there will be plenty of H+B in the entire story. Unfortunetaly, they won't hook up--yet! OOPS! O.o Did I just spill the beans? I'm such an ass! Oh well, they'll hook up in a future story, so don't go anywhere! For more411 on that, go to my profile for sneak peeks of my future stories.**

**Stan the Ham Ham- Your review made me laugh to tell you the truth! You don't know how many times I've seen your reviews and they all say, "..but Stan is mine" It's hilarious! But when my sis saw it, she was like, "Aren't you mad? You LOVE Stan!" And I was like, "No, I don't really mind. Besides, EVERYONE loves Stan!" And it's totally true! LOL**

**Between you and me, I ain't gonna say anything to the uhh...fourth reviewer, sandy+nickie101. Why? Cause she's my sister! That explains why she wrote "please read this story and be nice" and the whole "Bijou is not the prettiest of the girls, so stop putting in personal opinions" thing. Her fave is Sandy, so that pretty much explains why she wrote that. And to top it off, I saw her write everything. I just laughed. **

**Okay, enough chit-chat! I have alot to type here. So,this is what I have so far. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3: You Remind Me Of Somebody!

"Look! There it is!" Pashmina shouted, pointing straight ahead. The big oak tree was in perfect sight. "Whew! Just a few seconds left!" Bijou sighed in relief. She and the girls were racing towards the clubhouse, knowing they were already late. But no sooner had Bijou said her last sentence, when there was a SNAP! Sandy froze dead in her tracks. The other four did the same. "W-What was zhat?" Bijou whispered. "I-I don't know.." Sandy answered softly. Tense, she quickly motioned the girl-hams to follow her. "C'mon girlfriends, let's like, get outta here before--" But Pepper just stopped the gymnast hamster. "Hold it! Do you smell that?" Pepper hif-hiffed the air. Pashmina, Bijou and Sandy copied her. Penelope neared up to Pashmina. The girls gasped. "Oh no! Zhat smells like a..." But Bijou was interrupted when suddenly, a giant brown and black flash of fur pounced in front of them. It made a horrible hissing sound.

"CAAAAAAAAAT!"Bijou shrieked. Before the cat could swallow them up, the girls took off in seperate directions, screaming in terror. The cat howled and ran off, chasing after Penelope. "PEEENNNNYYYYYYYY!" Pashmina screeched, tears in her eyes. "I GOT HER!" Sandy yelled, taking a sudden turn. Sandy ran in front of the cat, her ribbon clutched tightly in her paw. "Okyoo!" Suddenly, Penelope tripped, landing on her face. The cat hissed, knowing his first bite was three seconds away. "NOOOOOOO!" the girls screamed at the top of their lungs. "PENELOPEEEEEE!" Sandy's red ribbon went flying. It wrapped itself around the baby hamster's body.

With one powerful tug, Penelope was pulled away just in time. The cat landed hard on his face. The girls cheered. Sandy picked up the child. "You okay?" she asked. "Okyoo!" Penelope answered happily. "Good..." Just then, the cat looked up. It growled angrily, staring defiantly at Sandy. "...now RUUUUUN!" Sandy yelped, letting go of Penelope and taking off. Pashmina grabbed Penelope and ran off, Bijou and Pepper at her heel. Sandy caught up with the others. "WREOWWWWW!" Suddenly, the cat lifted his paw, and knocked out Sandy. The girl ham went tumbling into a tree. Her body went limp. "SANDYYYYY!" Bijou cried. "GET UP, SANDY!" Pepper added.

Sandy struggled to sit up. "M-My ribbon..." she whispered. Unfortunetaly, she had forgotten her ribbon at the spot where she had rescued Penelope. She looked up with terrified eyes to see the cat hovering over her, it's paw rising. Sandy could see that this time, it's razor-sharp claws were sticking out of it's fur. Looks like it was gonna make sure Sandy was dead, before she was lunch. "HEEEEEEELLLLLLP!" Sandy shrieked as the paw blocked out the sunlight. She could hear the girls screaming bloody murder. She shut her eyes. Suddenly...

**WHACK!**

"WREEEOOOOWWW!" The cat winced as it stepped back. "HUH!" the girls chorused. Sandy slowly opened her eyes. She gasped at what she saw. Holding **her** gymnastics ribbon, was a brown and white girl hamster. She had a brown ponytail in the back of her head with a...yeah, you guessed it...a pink, flower-shaped hairclip. She glared hard at the cat. "Leave 'em alone, you overweight hairball! Why don't you pick on someone your OWN size?" she screamed. The cat growled in response. It pounced towards the girl. "HI-YAH!" the hamster quickly slapped the cat's face with Sandy's ribbon, like she had done last time. The cat howled in pain and stumbled. "Alright, buddy. I'm gonna be nice with you today, so I suggest you SCRAM!" She whipped the cat's cheek as she said, "Scram!"

It hissed in response and swung at her. She jumped back, like a lightning-fast ninja. "Is that the best you've got?" she yelled. With one pounce, the girl slapped the cat's neck in midair. The cat swung it's tail at her. She dodged once again. They fought for another minute or so. Finally, the girl groaned. "Oh God, I do **not** have time for this! I have to get home by 5!" she sighed impatiently. "HIIII-YAAAAHHHH!" With one whip-lash of the ribbon, the girl was able to wrap the ribbon around the cat's tail. Then, using all her strength, she pulled the scaryfeline to the ground. It landed with a hard THUD! The cat squealed as the girl began to whip it'sbehindcontinuously. "Had enough?" the girl yelled. Finally, the cat bounded onto it's feet and began to run off. "AND DON'T EVEN THINK OF COMING BACK! YOU'LL NEVER WORK IN THIS TOWN AGAIN!" she screamed after it. She took a few deep breaths as the girls ran towards Sandy.

"Sandy!" Bijou cried. "Thank God, you're alive!" Pashmina sighed. "Are you okay?" Pepper helped her up. "Yeah, I'm fine." Sandy replied. "Excuse me?" The girls turned around to see the girl hamster holding the ribbon, now with extra care this time. "Is this yours?" she asked Sandy. "Yeah! Thanks!" Sandy smiled and took it. "And thank you so much for saving our lives! We thought we were...how you say...dead meat, yes? Bijou said gratefully. The group giggled. "No problem! When I heard somebody scream out, 'CAT', I knew I had to something!" she answered with a smile. "Zhat would be moi! Anyways, my name eez Bijou! I am from France, which would explain my accent!" Bijou introduced herself. "Hi, Bijou!" the girl smiled and waved. "What are your names?"

Pepper smiled. "I'm Pepper. I actually live in the countryside, but I'm staying here for a week or so with my friends and my boyfriend!" she explained. "Coolie!" the girl piped up. "My name is Pashmina! And this is my best friend, Penelope. I'm more like her guardian, but it don't matter! She doesn't talk much, though." Pashmina said. "Awww! She's so cute!" the girl cooed. Penelope blushed. "And I'm Sandy! I totally love gymnastics, but I guess you can like, tell already, huh!" Sandy giggled. "Yeah, I guess I can!" the girl giggled back.

"Hold up! We didn't seem to catch YOUR name! What is it anyways?" Sandy asked. The girl slapped her forehead. "Oh! Silly me, how could I forget? My name is Crystal, and I'm new here!" she said. "Crystal?" That's a nice name!" Pashmina complimented. "Okyoo!" Penelope agreed. "Thanks!" Crystal blushed. Then as she looked over at Sandy, she took a double-take. Why does she look so familiar? her mind wondered. Sandy caught her stares. "What's up, Crystal?" she piped up. "Oh! Hey, Sandy? Call me crazy, but...have we met before?" she asked. "Heke? I-I don't think so!" Sandy replied. Crystal cocked her head. "Really? Cause, you...you remind me of someone...!"

_ To be con't..._

**A/N: Well, that's Chapter 3 for you. The next chapter is called Crystal And The Ham Hams. Basically, the girls introduce Crystal to the hamsters. Then she explains on how Sandy reminds her alot of a hamster she met when she just a little kid. So stay with me here peoples! Kay? ****Good! **

**Well, that's pretty much all I have to say. Until chapter 4!**

**Buh bye!**

**crystalgurl101 **


	4. Crystal And The Ham Hams

**A/N: Hi everyone! I'm _baaack_...and with a new chappie right here! I hope you guys like it.**

Chapter 4: Crystal And The Ham-Hams

"Heke? I do?" Sandy wrinkled her nose. She had never even **met **this girl before! "Uh-huh! It was a long time ago, but--" Crystal started. "SANDY!" a voice broke the silence surrounding the girl hamsters. Crystal turned around to see a bunch of guy-hams running towards them. Who are they? she thought. "Sandy, are you okay? Cappy heard you screaming!" Maxwell asked worriedly. "Yea! I'm cool!" Sandy nodded. Just then, Boss turned to see a brown and white ponytailed girl-ham. "Hey Bijou, who's this?" he cocked his head at Crystal. Crystal blushed, noticing that all the boys were eyeing her.

"Oh, she eez Crystal. She eez new here and she saved us from zhis awful cat!" Bijou explained. "Ya don't say!" Panda perked up. "Well, thank you for saving our feminime friends!" Maxwell smiled. "What's fe-mi-nime?" Crystal cocked her head, confused at the new word. Everyone fell anime style. "Never mind him! I'm Boss!" Boss said, holding out his paw. Crystal shook it. "Nice to meet you!" Crystal smiled brightly. "I'm Oxnard, but everybody calls me Oxy!" Oxnard piped up. The guy-hams said hello and introduced themselves. By the time Crystal knew everybody's names, Sandy and Bijou realized something was missing. "Where eez Hamtaro? Surely, he eez here, no?" Bijou looked at the guys for an answer. "Yeah, and my bro too!" Sandy added. She has a brother? Hmm...you don't think...? Crystal blinked when she heard Sandy.

"Umm, I don't know! They were both here this morning!" Dexter answered. "They musta' gone off somewhere!" Howdy said. "But, where?" Cappy asked. "Hmmm..." the group pondered at the question. "Umm...who's Hamtaro?" Crystal piped up. "Oh! He's this other kid in our club." Boss said casually. "Oui! He eez smart and brave and cheerful and helpful and very, very silly sometimes!" Bijou added, her cheeks darkening. Boss' face fell. "Crystal? Weren't you about to tell me something? Something about a long time ago?" Sandy questioned. "Hmm? Oh yeah!" Crystal's eyes brightened.

"Heke?" the guys cocked their heads, clueless. So the girls explained that Crystal was about to tell something about her childhood. "Well, why don't you tell us at the clubhouse?" Boss offered. "That's our hangout." Pashmina added. "Umm, sure sounds like a good idea. Thanks!" Crystal smiled and followed her friends through the clearing. The beautiful young hamster found herself entering a secret tunnel underneath a large oak tree. "Woooww! This place rocks!" Crystal gaped at the the dozens and dozens of tunnels in every direction. "I'm surprised you guys don't get lost in here!" she told them. "You get used to it!" Pepper replied. "Well, I don't wanna brag, but..these tunnels lead to just about every place in town!" Boss smirked. "Ya don't say!" Crystal continued to stare in awe and amazement. I sure wish I could come **here** every day! she added silently.

After a while, Crystal entered through a green ham-sized door and into a gigantic room. "Sweet place Boss! I wouldn't mind living here for a year or two!" Crystal cooed. "Glad you like it!" Sandy smiled. Crystal suddenly got a zig-zaggy feeling in her bloodstream. That smile. It was so familiar! "You remind me sooo much of someone! I just **know** you do! Besides, he used to smile just like that!" Crystal exclaimed. "Uhh...like, did you just say 'He', Crystal?" Sandy's eyes widened. "Uh-huh?" Crystal nodded eagerly, clueless of what Sandy had in mind. Nahhh! She couldn't be talking about him. Not Stanley...! her mind whispered. The others were thinking the same thing...

_(Not too far away...)_

"..Crystal, huh?" Hamtaro cocked his head. Stan took a deep breath. The wind caressed through the two boy-hams' thin whiskers. The hairclip gleamed in the sunlight. Stan's mind suddenly began to swim with forgotten childhood memories from the past. "Yup!" he finally answered. "So, what happened?" Hamtaro was eager to know what had happened. Stan smiled. "Well, it all started a few days after I moved away from Sandy. I was just hanging around, when Noel came in all hyped and stuff..."

_(Meanwhile, at the clubhouse...)_

"...so, where did you meet zhis boy you speak of?" Bijou spoke up. "Hmm...I was about four ham-years old. I was raised in a pet shop in the city by the next town. I don't remember EXACTLY what happened, but most of it is clear!" Crystal told them. "Sooo, umm...w-what was his name?" Sandy almost choked out. "Oops. I temporarily blanked out on that part." Crystal said, blushing. The group fell over anime style. "Anyways...!" Pashmina urged her to go on. "Right! Anyways, the day started out the same. My two 'cage neighbors' as we call it and my cousin, Nikki were acting all 'fancyish' and stuff. I, on the other hand..."

_To be con't.._

**A/N: Sooo? Whatcha think? If you think it's too short, then I'm so sorry! But one thing's for sure, the next ones will be much longer! Thanx again for all you nice reviewers and all your reviews. I really appreciate it...but I ain't gonna keep writing if I have just five or six of 'em! I really need these reviews! Sooo, click the review button OR get other people to read it!(My sister told me to write that. She says she really wants people to read what I have to offer! Oh well! You know how kids are!) Anyways, stay tuned for Chapter 5!**


	5. A Trip To The Past

**A/N: A quck reminder: this chapter is gonna take place back in time when Stan and Crystal where four years old. Oh, and before I forget, Stan and Crystal are telling their own side of the story to the Ham-Hams...or Hamtaro...or whoever is with them! And, thank you for all the nice reviews. I love you ppls in I'm glad I haven't gotten one flame...yet. Cause like my mom says sometimes, "Don't get your hopes up! You never know when things will turn around!" OK, have fun..!**

Chapter 5: A Trip to the Past

"...so then Noel came in with this big smirk on his face, and I was all like..."

"C'MON STAN! THE SHOW MUST GO ON HERE!" Hamtaro squealed. "Okay, okay damnit! Calm down!" Stan shouted. "Sorry.." Hamtaro's cheeks burned from underneath his fur. "Any ways, before I was so **rudely** interrupted..."

_(YIPEEE! Flashback Time...!)_

"Oh, Staaan! Wake up little fella!" 4-ham-year-old Stan stirred. Noel's friendly face came into view. "Hey there buddy! I've got some great news for you. I'm heading off to the city to see some of my college buddies, and you're coming with me!" Noel announced. Stan rubbed his big curious eyes. Fine by me...! his mind thought sleepily. "We're leaving tomorrow, so I'm gonna start packing. See ya in a bit!" Noel stood up and walked out. Stan sat up. "Kushi-kushi. Man, I wonder what a city is! Hmm, I wonder if it has seeds. I'm starved!" Stan said. He stood up, and walked to his food bowl. Picking up a sunflower seed, he began to "krmp-krmp" away.

_(The very next morning...)_

Stan found himself in Noel's car. As he drove off, Stan thought about Sandy, his little sister. Three days after we're seperated, and I'm already on the road? Tsh! Imagine that! he thought to himself. He felt the car stop. Stan looked up to see Noel in front of a stoplight. A bright red light was flashing in the top circle. "Heke? Why did Noel stop in front that red light?" he muttered. A few seconds later, the light went from red to green. The car took off. "And he's off! Wow! Humans are stranger than I thought!" Stan added under his breath. (A/N: By the way, Stan has the voice of Sid, from Hey Arnold, since he's just a kid.) Bored, he fell fast asleep and dreamt that he was in some sort of playground. He was about to turn a corner when...BAM! He ran into someone or something. Just when he was going to see who(or what) it was, Stan woke up.

"We're here!" Noel cried excitedly. Sure enough, Stan looked up to see buildings that reached the sky. Neon lights dotted the streets and stores of all different shapes, sizes and types were everywhere. "Woooowwww! This place is hamtastic!" Stan gasped. They arrived at an apartment and climbed to the second floor. Stan met up with two of Noel's guy-friends from college. "They're cool! I like em'!" Stan smiled as the three guys went out to play cards. "...and now, I'm bored!"

_(Meanwhile, on the other side of the city...we're still in the past here..)_

"Crystal! Stop doing that!" a tiny female hamster scolded. "I can do whatever I want, **Nikki**!" a four-year-old version of Crystal shot back, looking up from the tiny mirror in her paw. Sighing, she stared back into it, fussing around with the pink hair ribbon tied around her ponytail. "How the heck am I supposed to wear this thing?" she hissed under her breath. "Crystal? Please don't mess up your ribbon!" her mother, Angie scolded her. She looked exactly like her daughter, except she had a light blue twinkle in her eyes instead of the aqua ones Crystal had.

Her mother had a long high ponytail with curls at the bottom. "Yea, Crystal, you know you're gonna mess up your hair like that!" one of Crystal's cage-neighbors, Haylie nodded. She was slightly older than her with two long, blonde pigtails in the bottom of her head. She had two light red hair ribbons on them. "And that's bad!" Haylie's little sister, Rose warned. She had a large yellow ribbon on her head and eyes like her mother--green. The oldest sister had green eyes as well. Nikki, Crystal's cousin, looked just like Crystal, but had two lavendar hair ribbons tied around her ears with the bottom of the ribbons sweeping down and a pearl necklace around her neck.

"Mom, can I take this annoying ribbon off? Pleeeaaase? For just **one **day? One stupid day is aaaallllll(all) I'm asking for!" Crystal begged. "Oh, honestly Crystal. You are just like your father! Why can't you just be happy with yourself?" Angie sighed. "Yea, Crystal!" Nikki pursed her lips. "I **am **happy with me, **and **my life Mommy! And mind your busy-ness, Nikki!" Crystal glared at her. "Heke? What's a busy-ness?" Rose cocked her head. "You imbecile! There's no such thing as a busy-ness!" Nikki scoffed. "You should talk, dumb-butt!" Crystal cried out. "Crystal!" her mother scolded. "Yes, Mother dearest-of-mine-which-I-love-so-much?" Crystal mumbled. "That will be quite enough! You know you're not allowed to use such horrid second-class literature! That type of language is--" Crystal just sighed. "..that kind of language is for the savages out in the streets, I know!" Crystal finished for her mother. "Exactly! Now, do me a favor and go do something that will actually keep you **out **of trouble!" Angie told her. "Yea..like talk bad about what 'the savages' are wearing!" Crystal mumbled under her breath.

She stood up and angrily stomped off to her room. Since Crystal's family was rich, each hamster had it's own little hamster house. Crystal slumped down on her bed. "I'm confused by Mom. I mean, I don't mind being rich and all, but...why do I feel so different from Haylie and Rose and Nikki? Why do I feel so trapped in this huge cage of a mansion...or mansion of a cage? WHATEVER!" Crystal groaned. Now, she was confusing herself! After a few minutes, she lifted her head. "Okay, I have **had **it! I am **not **gonna end up like helpless little Princess Sleeping Beauty, or Cinderella, or heck, maybe even Snow White! I am not gonna wait for some miracle to happen! If I want something to happen, I have to do it myself! I **will **get out of here, and I **will **be free! It's action time!" she stated.

Standing up, she peeked through the door. Her mother, Haylie and Rose's mother, and Nikki's mother were busy talking, while Haylie, Rose and Nikki were checking their hair. "Yes," Crystal grinned. She went back into her room and slipped under the bed. On the wall, was a hole...a hole small enough for a four-year-old hamster. She crawled right through and ended up outside in the very corner of the huge hamster cage. Then, she dug her way through some bedding and bumped into another hole. "Good thing that cashier guy forgot to fix this hole, otherwise, I'd still be a prisoner!" Crystal smirked as she slipped right through...

_To be con't..._

**A/N: UH-OH! Looks like somebody's in for some BIG trouble! What will happen to Crystal? Where will she go? And what about Stan? Not to worry! All questions will be answered in Chapter...uhhhh...**what chapter is this**? OH! All questions will be answered in Chapter 6! Stay in touch and don't forget to review your good friend, crystalgurl101! **

**Au Revio--**

**OH! WAIT! **

**Before I forget, I'm planning on updating another story while I'm doing Childhood Friends. It's alot shorter, but it's so much funnier...I think. It's called, "You Stupid Ham Hams!" Now ppls, don't let the slightly harsh title fool you. It's not an "I-hate-you-Hamtaro" story, alright? It's a comedy story. It's about the Ham Hams and what they do when the cameras of the Hamtaro show AREN'T watching! This ficcie consists alot of funny scenes, including bars, getting drunk, a battle of the bands competion--and it's _stupid _1st prize, going to Wendy's to find a phone, and a craaazy girl's night out! If anybody is interested and thinks I should update this ficcie's first chapter, then pleeeez lemme know by clicking that review button over there. No, the one on your left...no not MY left, yours! NO, as in my right! UGH! The stupid purple squarish button that says "Go" next to it. Yeah, that one. Ahhh, ya feel stupid, huh? Anywho, like it or hate it, tell me now, ok? **

**Okay! NOW, it's time.**

**Au Revior!**


	6. Crashing Into Destiny

**A/N: Here's chapter 6, hope you like it. It's pretty long!**

Chapter 6: Crashing Into Destiny

_(4-yr-old Stan's POV...)_

"Okay...now what?" I said. Hmm...how 'bout a little tour of this place? So, I slipped right out of my cage and began to explore the place. I found some pretty cool stuff all over the floor, but I was still bored out of my mind. Just then, I heard a couple of voices from the doorway. "Heke?" I mumbled. I crawled through the space and followed the voices. They belonged to two girl-hams. "Oooohh, suh-moke!" I said smoothly as I followed them. Now, I wasn't like the other guys I knew at home. The truth was, I kinda liked hanging with girls, while other guys thought they had cooties and stuff. I guess cause I was used to being with Sandy. But since she wasn't here...well...wait! Since she wasn't here, she couldn't scold me in front of the ladies. I was free to flirt!

I began to walk up to them, until I heard one say, "So, where are you taking me?" The other one smirked. "For the last time, to the new ham-playground at the park! It's opening today!" she squealed. "Ohhh, now I remember! That place is supposed to be the bomb!" the first one cried happily. A ham-playground? Now, THERE'S something! So, I hid and followed them until I ended up outside. "The playground is right across the street." the first dudette pointed to the other side of a busy traffic street. "Uh-oh..." I whispered to myself. That's when I realized I had lost the two ham-chicks so, now I was on my own. As I walked up to the street, I noticed a flashing red light on a big pole thingy. "Whoops, red light!" I told myself as I stopped. If Noel stopped on red lights, then so should I!

I waited patiently and casually stood at the edge of the sidewalk. Some humans stood behind me, waiting for the light to change to I-don't-know-what-color-it-was-yet. A little girl looked down and spotted me. I stared back and winked at her. What's up, cutie? The girl gasped(I don't know why though) and giggled. A few seconds later, the light changed to green. Just like the car lights! Cool! I began to ticki-ticki my way across the street, but broke into a run, realizing that the humans' big ugly feet could squash me any second! "Hey, take it easy up there, will ya!" I complained. Obviously, those rude people couldn't hear me. Maybe if I had a deep, manlyish kind of voice then I'd show em...!

After crossing the street, it wasn't long until I reached a park fit for a hamster. I made it! "Woo-hoo! Oh yeah! Who rocks? Who's the ham? Uh-huh!" I cried, hopping up and down, celebrating. Just then, I spotted a couple of girls about my age at the sandbox. "Helloooo sweeties!" I cooed. "Who? You mean those 'giiirrrrls?'" a ham-dude came up from behind me, scrunching up his nose as he said "girls". I rolled my eyes. "Yes, those girls! Listen, little ham-dude, someday, you'll be just as cool about girls as I am!" I patted his shoulder and stalked off...

_(Meanwhile, on the other side of the park...)_

"Hahahahaha! That was some getaway!" Crystal continued to skip freely into the park, laughing about the "accident" that she had caused at the pet store...

_(Flashback...)_

"HEY! Where do you think **you're **going?" a teenage boy's voice called out. Everybody turned to see a small, brown hamster free from her cage. "Uh-oh. Busted..." Crystal muttered under her breath. "Crystal? What are you doing out there?" cried Angie, horrified that her young daughter was outside of the only home she ever knew. I can't let her go outside. If she does, she'll want to run away, just like her father! I am NOT gonna let that happen again; not to Crystal! Angie thought fearfully. However, little fiesty Crystal wasn't going to give up so easy! I got this far. There's no turning back now! she told herself.

As the cashier headed towards her, Crystal bounced off the shelf and began to scurry around the floor. People immedietaly reacted. Women and little girls screamed. Babies laughed. Dogs barked. Cats hissed. Birds swawked and furiously flapped their feathers. "Grab that hamster! She's from a rare breed and is worth almost fifty dollars!" the manager shouted. At the sound of Crystal's price, men and boys began to chase her. "Fifty dollars? Is that alot?" Crystal questioned. But she didn't have time for an answer. A boy had almost stepped her! Crystal ran off just in time.

"I said grab her, not KILL her!" the manager yelled angrily. Crystal ran all over the place. The animals would jump back in shock. A goldfish even passed out from a heart attack. "My fault, Mr. Floating Goldfish!" Crystal called over her shoulder, not knowing that the poor thing was already dead! She continued to unknowingly cause chaos all over the place. Meanwhile, her family was **freaking out**! "CRYSTAL, GET BACK HERE!" Angie cried at the top of her lungs. "ARE YOU INSANE? WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!" even young Nikki was stunnedat Crystal's action. "Poor Crystal must be scared to death out there!" Rose exclaimed. On the contrary, Crystal felt slightly different...

"THIS IS SO COOOOOL!" Crystal squealed out, having the time of her life! (**A/N: Wow! ----**) "WEEEEEE! COME AND GET ME, BOYS!" Crystal eagerly climbed a huge pile of kitty litter(actually, it was just four feet high. Lol!)in the middle of the room. The guys--the cashier included--paused. "Okay, on three, we grab her!" he whispered to the others. They quickly nodded in agreement. "One..." Slowly, they crept up from behind Crystal. "...two..." they raised their hands, ready to grab her. "Heke?" Crystal stole a glance behind her. "...**THREE**!" the guys attacked. "Uh-oh! Incoming!" Crystal gasped and jumped. A milli-second later, the guys landed on each other, causing the cat litter to...

** POP! **

Suddenly, half the store was covered in kitty litter from head to toe! Angie, Nikki, and the others shrieked in horror. "MY FUR IS DIRTYYYY!" Haylie screamed. "FORGET **YOU**! LOOK AT ME!" Nikki cried in agony. "CRYSTAAAL! YOU ARE IN **SO** MUCH TROUBLE, YOUNG LADY!" Angie screeched. Meanwhile, little Crystal was escaping into the outside world, while everybody began to scream out at each other for apperantly no reason...

_(End flashback...)_

"...I am gonna be **so **grounded when I come back, but it'll be worth it!" Crystal sighed. She looked around. "Wow! The outside world looks alot better than I remembered!" Crystal gasped, admiring the dandelions nearby. Birds sang above her. The sun glowed. The sky seemed to stretch on forever. The clouds hung to the air. "Man, I should've escaped that pet store a LOOONG time ago!" she said.

_(Meanwhile, a few yards away...)_

"Hmmm...I wonder if there are any cute chicks I can be with! Those babes back there didn't seem to catch my vibes." Stan sighed. "Why can't I just meet this **one **girl who isn't afraid to hang out with a guy? Somebody who likes to do whatever a guy does. Somebody who's fiesty, outgoing, fun to be with, energetic! Why is it so hard to find a girl like that?"

_(Meanwhile. You probably already knew I was gonna say that...)_

"You know, this 'being free in the world' thing is amazing and all, but...now, all I really wanna do is just play! But since I'm technically new here, I don't know who to hang out with." Crystal admitted sadly. Suddenly, she felt small and alone...and she rarely felt like that! Not when she was home that is, with her mom and cousin, and friends...

_(Do I have to say it...?)_

"...ugh! I sure wish I could find some ham-kid out there. I mean, the guys here just like to play Sword-Fight and stuff! I've played all those games billions of times! Besides, the girls here are cute...!" Stan looked up at the sky.

_(Sigh. I'm not gonna bother...)_

"...girls here can act like such princess-wannabe-snobs! Ugh, I hate that! I sure wish there was a kid who liked to play normal stuff. The girls can worry about their hair and makeup when they're teenage hamsters. I know I am...!" Crystal scoffed, thinking about Nikki, Rose and Haylie. Her eyes were planted on the floor...

_(Oh God...)_

Stan looked on as a couple of boys were playing Guns. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Sheesh! Isn't there one kid out there who--"

_(Blah, blah, blah...)_

"--thinks Guns are totally lame?" Crystal sighed, unaware that she was watching the same boys Stan was looking at. They were just looking at them from a different point-of-view. "I wonder if anybody here is bored of the classics. A kid who instead likes to explore--"

_(Ya-da ya-da ya-da...)_

"--the outside world around them! Do they have any idea how--"

_(Beep...)_

"--totally amazing and fascinating Mother Nature can be? I mean, why don't they--"

_(Wait! Who's turn is it to finish the sentence?)_

"--open their eyes, wake up and smell the coffee stuff humans drink! Take a look around, ya know? Just--"

_(I'm lost...)_

"--relax and leave the grooming to the future, and enjoy childhood! Just to--"

_(Ooh! Here it comes...!)_

"--loosen up and not be afraid! Somebody who--"

_(Steady...steady...aaaannnnd...!)_

"--Somebody who--"

_(NOW!)_

** CRASH!**

Owww!

_ To be con't..._

**A/N: HA! HA! THE STUPID EVIL CLIFFHANGERS!_in low voice_I HATE 'EM! **

**For the benefit of the slow people, if you didn't get what was going on back then, Stan and Crystal were finishing each other's sentences--unknowingly. Anyways, click the review button--NOW! And then, I'll continue the cliffhanger. Okay? Good enough deal? **

**Okay! See ya' all in a bit!**

**crystalgurl101**


	7. Face To Face

**A/N: Hi everybody! Thanks once again for all those reviews! And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...the long awaited Chapter 7! **

Chapter 7: Face-To-Face

"OWWW! Hey, watch where you're going, will ya?" two little voices exclaimed at the exact same time. Stan sat up from the floor, rubbing his forehead. He looked up to see a girl his age on the floor, backfirst. Her eyes were shut tight. "Kooshi-kooshi. Aww, man. What a crash!" she grumbled as she sat up. Stan immedietaly stood up on his feet. "Aw man, I am **sososososo **sorry 'bout that! Are you okay?" he asked fearfully. "Y-Yea, I guess so." Crystal replied, shaking her head a couple of times.

"Here. Lemme help you up." Stan said gently, holding out his little paw. "Heke?" Crystal opened her eyes to see a little tiger-striped boy--who was slightly older than her--smiling sweetly at her. The sun was behind him, making him seem even more innocent. "Th-Thanks." she answered. Crystal slowly held out her paw and placed it on Stan's. He closed his fingers around it gently. Crystal could feel him start to help pull her to her feet. "There ya' go!" Stan chirped as she stood up. Crystal smiled up at him...

_

* * *

(Back to the present...) _

Crystal sighed dreamily. "Even though I don't remember his name right now...which is pretty stupid, I guess, _sweatdrops_ I **do **remember how his paw felt. It was like, so strong and secure...and yet, it was gentle and kind at the same time!" Crystal smiled. "Wow! This boy sounds like the real deal, huh?" Pashmina's eyes widened. "Yeah! Well...there's more to the story. Check this out...!"

(Meanwhile, on the other side of town...)

"...when I first held her paw, it felt so delicate and sweet!" Stan told Hamtaro with a dazed look in his eye. Hamtaro was hanging on to every word, dying to know more about this "Crystal" girl. "How did she look like?" Hamtaro asked like an overlyexcited child. "Let's just say if she was here right now--in our age, that is--she would probably take my breath away! She had these beautiful aqua looking eyes, gleaming brown and white fur, and this adorable smile! Oh, and and her hair! Gorgeous!" Stan replied. "How did her hair look like? C'mon Stan, don't leave me hangin'!" Hamtaro practically whined. "Alright! Alright! Jesus, keep your shorts on!" Stan backed up. "But I'm not wearing shorts." Hamtaro stated stupidly. Stan pursed his lips. "Of couse not, half-wit! But keep your fur on at least!" he said. "Ummm...okay." Hamtaro scratched his head. Stan sighed and rolled his eyes. "Anyways, after I helped her up..."

_

* * *

(Back to the past...) _

"...Sooo! Are you from here?" Stan asked. "Ummm, yeah! Yeah, I am! Aren't **you** from here?" Crystal cocked her head. "Uhhh...no. I'm just visiting." Stan confessed sheepishly. "Oh, cool!" Crystal shrugged like it was no big to her--on account it wasn't. There was an uncomfortable pause between them. "Sooo...see ya'!" Crystal waved and began to walk down the ham-sized dirt road. "Wait! I--uhh, mean uhhh.." Crystal stopped. She turned to look at Stan. "..I'll walk with you!" he offered." Crystal was taken aback. "Umm...sure! Thanks!" she couldn't help but crack a smile. Smiling, Stan walked over to Crystal's side. "So, what's your name?" he asked. "Crystal." Crystal replied. "I'm Stan." Stan grinned. "I like your name!" she told him. "Thanks! Your name's really pretty!" Stan blurted out the last sentence. _Oops... _he thought. Crystal's cheeks immedietaly flushed. Stan, who was slightly embarassed, blushed as well.

Just then, Stan and Crystal passed a couple of kid-hams their age. They were all sitting on a huge sandbox. The girls were playing Dolls and Dress-Up on one side. The boys were enjoying a nice game of Battleship on the other side. "Pfft! Can you believe them?" Stan shook his head in pity. "Tell me about it! Those games are so classic! A little **too **classic, that is!" Crystal scoffed. "You bored of them too?" Stan looked over at his new friend. "Yup! I'd prefer doing the whole 'going-out-for-new-kind-of-things', you know?" Crystal told him. "Say...this park bombs! Wanna go out and have some **real** fun?" Stan had a mischevious smirk on his face. "I...I dunno. You sure we can actually go out there?" Crystal suddenly felt nervous about wandering even farther away from the pet store. "Course we can! Nobody's watching out for us, right?" Stan questioned. "Y-Yeah." Crystal slowly nodded. "Then Outside it is!" Stan announced. "Wha? B-But..but..." **But**, Crystal didn't have time to explain, for Stan had already grabbed her paw and raced towards the exit.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Crystal complained. "Hey, you're a city girl, right? You can handle this! Don't be such a girly-girl!" Stan told her. "**GIRLY-GIRL**?" Crystal exclaimed. She absolutely **hated** being called a girly-girl more than anything else in this world! "Ooookay, listen! I am not a girly-girl! So, rule number one, Street Genius: **Never **call me a girly-girl!" Crystal glared. She grabbed Stan's wrist and began to drag him towards the exit. "Let's go!" she growled. Now, Stan was scared! _Was it somethingI said?_ he thought. Suddenly...

**SCRREEEEECH! CRASH!**

Stan and Crystal found themselves facing a busy street, only this one wouldn't stop for nobody--that is unless they actually **saw **you! And that would be pretty difficult if you were only seven and a half centimeters high! The two hamsters' eyes opened wide. **VROOOOM! **Just then, a car sped by them, going probably a thousand non-stop miles per hour! Scared silly, they hugged each other! "Okay..what are we gonna do, Street Genius?" Crystal asked Stan. "How should I know? **You're** the City Girl!" Stan replied. "Ok, ok ok ok ok! Let's just calm down for a second. Now, we need to figure out a way on how to cross this street, right?" Crystal started. "Yeah?" Stan nodded. "Alright then. Alls we gotta do then, is..."

But Crystal was cut short when a cat began running towards them! "AAAHHHHH!" they squealed. Then, they saw why the cat was running. A ferocious pit bull was chasing it! "DOUBLE AAAHHHH!" Crystal screamed. "Oh, hell no. We gotta get outta here!" Stan backed up. Crystal hid behind him. The cat and dog were merely twenty feet away...but were getting closer by the millisecond! "What are we gonna do?" Crystal yelled. Stan looked around. There was a busy ass traffic jam behind them, two crazy ass animals running in front of them, big human feet were walking past them and there was no way out.

"Hold on! On my count, run." Crystal commanded. "Run where?" Stan quizzed her. "Behind you." Crystal answered. "WHAT? That's suicide! Have you gone mental? I'm too young to become roadkill!" Stan whined. "We're not gonna die. If the cars see the cat and dog passing by, they'll **have** to stop!" Crystal explained. "What if they **don't** see them?" Stan was afraid to ask. "Then that's a problem!" Crystal shuddered. So they waited, preparing to sprint off into the streets. "One..." Crystal whispered. The cat and dog were ten feet away...no, eight...seven...six...! "..two.." Now they were five feet away...four...three...people had begun to jump back as they ran even faster. Two feet...one...eleven inches...

"NOW!"

At that moment, Stan and Crystal turned around and ran, praying that the cars wouldn't run them over.** BEEP BEEEEP! SCREEECH! BEEEEEEEP!** As Crystal predicted, the cars screeched to a halt and beeped the animals to get out of the way. "DON'T STOP, STAN! KEEP RUNNING!" Crystal shouted over the commotion. Stan did as he was told. "AAAHHH!" Stan and Crystal let out shrieks as a car's tires stopped two feet away from them. Hearts pumping, they dodged car tires and ran as fast as their little paws could carry them.

Finally, they literally jumped onto the sidewalk on the other side and kept running--on account the cat was still behind them.(**A/N: So you could just imagine it! A pit bull dog chasing a gray cat chasing a tiger-striped hamster chasing a brown and white hamster! Quite comical, no? Wait...is comical even a word..?**) After they were away from the scene, they stopped to catch their breaths. "Whew! That..._pants_..was a very...very..._pants_...close call!" Stan panted. "Tell me about it! I thought we wouldn't make it out alive!" Crystal agreed. **GRRR! **"AAAHH! Monster!" Stan squealed when he heard a deep growling. "Great, now I'm so freaked out, I have cramps!" he complained.

"Umm, Stan? That's not a monster.." Crystal pointed at Stan. "..that's your tummy!" As if on queue, Stan could feel his stomach growl again. **GRRR!** "Oh...I knew that!" Stan lied. "Okay, so now you're hungry!" Crystal looked around. "There's gotta be a decent restaurant around here somewhere!" she sighed. "Then let's go look for one!" Stan suggested. Poor young hamsters! They were depending on each other in order to survive, but in real life, neither knew crud about living in a city! Guess they're going to have to learn by themselves...the hard way!

_To be con't... _

**A/N: There you have it folks! On Chapter 8, Crystal and Stan run into the #1 five-star restaurant in the city...and start one HUGE party! So, keep in touch and send in those reviews and eventually, I'll update! **

**Don't miss chapter 8, "Stan And Crystal's Buffet Blast!"**

**Until then, read and review...pleeeeaaaassse?**

**Buh-bye! Love your friend,**

**crystalgurl101**


	8. Stan And Crystal's Buffet Blast!

**A/N: Hi everybody! Sorry if this took so long, but the thing is, I planned out chapters 1 thru 7--well, half of chapter 7! _blushes_ And chapter 8 is something that had to be thought of as I went along! My bad! Also, my schedule suddenly went crazy! So, if you read chapter 7, then you got to read what's gonna happen here! I love letting out little sneak peeks! **

**Here's chapter 8, "Stan And Crystal's Buffet Blast!"**

**Enjoy the show!**

Chapter 8: Stan And Crystal's Buffet Blast!

"No.." Crystal shook her head.

"..nope." Stan added.

"..I don't think so." Crystal wrinkled her nose.

"..uh-uh." Stan raised an eyebrow.

"..yeah right..!" Crystal shuddered.

"Lord, help us!" Stan threw up his paws in the air.

Crystal groaned. It had been fifteen minutes, and she and Stan were still searching for a restaurant. "What about those stores over there?" Stan pointed. By now, they were both starving. " **Eww!** Too hairy!" Crystal sighed, as they passed a barber shop and stared at the floors. "Too dangerous looking!" Stan whimpered as they passed a butcher's shop. "Too colorful!" Crystal blinked and looked up at the clothing store. The sign said, _"Claire's"_(**A/N: I love that place!**). "Ugh! I'm gonna starve to death!" Stan whined. "Speak for the **both **of us!" Crystal moaned, clutching her stomach. The two hungry hamsters walked weakly down the street. Suddenly, Stan perked up. "Hey, Crystal! I'm gettin' something! Hif-hif-hif." Stan began to sniff the air. "Mmm! And it smells good!"

"Heke? What are you talking about?" Crystal cocked her head. "I'm talking that I smell food!" Stan exclaimed. "Food?" Crystal's eyes lit up immedietaly. "Where? Where is the food?" Crystal looked around frantically. "Follow the nose!" Stan told her. Stan sniffed the scent, racing towards a corner. "Hey! Wait for me!" Crystal shouted, chasing after Stan. Just as she turned the corner, she lay her eyes on what Stan had found. It was a huge, fancy buffet restaurant. The sign on top said, "_The Joys Of Japan_". Stan smiled. "It's ...beautiful! LET'S GO IN! LET'S GO IN! LET'S GO IN!" the hungry little boy began to desperately shake his companion. "Sta-an! For God's sake, calm your butt down! We can't just walk in there, hold out forty dollars and say, 'Table for two please!' It's not done like that!" Crystal told him. "Why not?" Stan shrugged. "Wait! Cause we don't have forty dollars, do we! I got it! You be on the lookout, and I'll steal money from that lady over there!" Stan got ready to run off.

Crystal slapped her forehead and snagged Stan by his wrist. "Listen stupid, we can't go in there cause they don't allow pets inside!" Crystal pointed at a sign that said, "_No Pets Allowed_". "Oh...aww damnit! That sucks!" Stan whined. "You have colorful language for someone your age." Crystal said calmly. Just then, both their stomachs roared for five long seconds. "Ohh, Crystal pleeeeaaaase? We're starving to death here! Please, just **one **meal of sunflower seeds? Or alfalfa seeds? Or hell, even lettuce!" Stan begged. "Hmm...or carrot and tomato salad?" Crystal asked curiously, a twinkle of hope in her eyes. "Umm...yeah! Sure!" Stan shrugged. _What's a salad? _he thought, not having a clue what the girl was talking about.

"Hmm...okay! We can go in there! But **nobody **better see us, got it?" Crystal warned. "**Yes!** Don't worry, Crystal. I won't let anyone see me, Scout's Honor!" Stan promised. "Heke?" Crystal cocked her head. "I don't know what that means either. Let's go!" Stan screamed, racing towards the door. But Crystal just grabbed him again. "Now what?" Stan complained. "Helloo? People will see us if we walk through those doors! We need to sneak in there somehow..." Crystal looked around. "I got it!" she squealed. "What?" Stan asked curiously. "C'mon!" Crystal ran towards the alley next to it. "I see hamsters do this all the time on TV!" she whispered as she slipped through an air vent. "Hey, wait for me!" Stan whined.

And as promised, the two youngsters found themselves inside the restaurant. The walls were painted a red and gold stripes. The floors were covered with a thick red carpet. There were tables of trays of all kinds of foods in one side of the room. Next to it were beverage machines, napkins, forks, spoons, safety knifes and cups. Stan whistled. "Now **this** is a restaurant!" he cooed. "Tell me about it!" Crystal agreed. "Can we get food now?" Stan begged. "Why are you asking me? Can't you see the humans picking out their lunch? They'll see us for sure!" Crystal said. "I'll take that as a no." Stan frowned. So they waited. It hadn't been five minutes when the trays emptied out. "Psst! Stan! It's empty!" Crystal nudged the boy hamster. "Huh? What?" Stan picked his head up. "C'mon!" Crystal slipped through the thick metal bars. Stan eagerly followed.

They approached Table #1. "Hmm..let's see. What's this?" Stan peered inside. "The sign says, 'Cooked Potatoes.'" Crystal pointed out. They looked at each other for a moment. "Nahh!" they shook their heads. They looked inside the next tray. It was steak. "Next!" Stan and Crystal chorused, not satisfied. The third tray had cooked fish. "Uh-uh!" they frowned. The next tray contained raw squid(**A/N: YUCK! XP**). "Eww!" they wrinkled up their little pink noses. Luckily, Table #2 had fresh vegetables and fruits. "Heeey! Now **this **is food!" Stan's eyes lit up. Happily, Stan and Crystal began eating.

"Oooohh! Look Mommy, hamsters!" a little girl suddenly squealed. "Heke?" the two hamsters looked up. "EEEEKK!" a woman shrieked. Immedietaly, the restaurant's silence was shattered. People began screaming and running. Stan and Crystal looked at each other with confusion. "Why are they flipping out? We ain't rats!" Stan asked. Crystal shrugged. "HEY!" a man's voice boomed their ears. "RUN AWAAAAYYY!" they screamed in unison. Without thinking, Stan and Crystal dove right into the tray with lettuce and tomatoes. Next thing they knew, the man was sticking a fork right into the lettuce. "Aaahhh! These people are crazy!" Crystal cried, rolling away from the fork just in time. "Let's get outta here!" Stan shouted.

Nodding in agreement, both of them slipped right out of the tray and scurried across the floor. "AAAHHH!" a fat woman yelled at the top of her lungs as they passed her. She stepped back, tripping on the tablecloth. She fell on the table, causing the food on it to fly across the room. It hit several people, the wall, and a portrait of the Mona Lisa.(**A/N: I couldn't think of anything else! **) A man that was hit grew pissed off and threw a slice of ham back. Instead of hitting the woman, it hit another man. He threw his daughter's salad at a woman. She tossed her soda in the air. Next thing the people knew, a little boy had climbed on top of a table and yelled, "**FOOD FIIIIIGHT!**"

"Food fight?" Crystal's eyes opened wide with concern. "Food fight?" Stan repeated eagerly. "Food fight?" the chef that was chasing the hamsters gasped in shock. Before the chef could get help, dishes of all types of foods flew across the air. "Whoa!" Stan ducked a pie. "Run! That crazy guy with the crazy puffy hat is chasing us again!" Crystal warned. Sure enough, the chef had started running towards them. "EEP!" Crystal squealed, climbing a table pole. Stan followed her and ran right into a radio. "Oww!" he complained. Immedietaly, party rock/pop music blasted through the stereo. "Cool! I love this song!" Stan smiled. "C'MON!" Crystal grabbed his wrist. As the music played, people continued to enjoy themselves in the food fight. The angry chef was hit. He let the hamsters go and threw a pudding cup. "Now, now! No need for such immaturity!" a woman tried to calm everybody down. Just then, the pudding cup hit her. "WHO THREW THAT?" she screamed.

Meanwhile, Stan and Crystal reached the vent, crawled through and found themselves outside. "Let's promise never to go in that place ever again!" Crystal panted. "Besides, we didn't get much to eat." But Stan just smirked. "Oh reeeaaally?" he opened his paws to reveal a whole bunch of sunflower seeds and Veggie O's. "Stan! You little thief!" she squealed happily. She hugged her friend and took half the pile. "You're the best!" she smiled. Stan blushed. "Yeah, I know I am!" he gloated. "Now, let's go back to the park!" Just then, they froze. "Y-You **do **know how to get back, don't you?" Stan asked fearfully. "No..I thought you did!" Crystal answered. "I thought **you** did!" Stan exclaimed. Uh-oh! Now, they were both lost, not having a clue where to go! "So that means..." Crystal whimpered. "..we're...we're..." Stan piped up. "LOST!" they finished together. Then they screamed.

"**AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

_To be con't..._

**A/N: Oooohh! You're in BIG trouble! So whatcha think? I'm so so so sorry it took so long! I gotta stay more focused. Keep in touch and stay tuned for chapter 9!**


	9. Lost And Found

**A/N: Bonjour mon amis! I..uhhh...hmmm...okay, I seriously need to think of stuff to say! Oh, wait there's one! There's a chance I _might_ go to Canada on Friday. If I do, then I owe you one hell of a chapter! Or two! If I don't, then you don't hafta' worry about it! If I do, I'll be gone 'til Sunday.**

**That's all the news I have so far.**

**Here's chapter 10!**

Chapter 10: Lost And Found!

"**HOW THE HECK DID THIS HAPPEN?**" Stan screamed. "**I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M LOST!**" Crystal cried out. "You should talk! **You're **the one that got us lost!" Stan shot her a glare. "Me? I didn't get us lost! You and your nose did!" Crystal shot back, returning the icy look. "Did not! This is all your fault!" Stan accused. "This is all your fault, not mine!" Crystal shouted. "Pul-lease! I'm not the one who lives here! At least I have an excuse to get lost!" Stan folded his arms, wondering how Crystal would top that. "I'm not the one who dragged us out of that playground! So, keep your mouth shut!" Crystal smirked, knowing it was Stan's idea in the first place. Stan glared at her. "You dragged **me** out that park, remember?" he pointed out. "Yeah, but you came up with it first!" Crystal was growing furious with Stan stubbornness. "So what if I did?" Stan on the other hand(or paw in this case), was aggravated with Crystal's comebacks. "You know what? I may not live here, but at least I can get back home solo!" he stated. "Are you saying you don't need me? Cause I know I don't need **you**!" Crystal defended herself. "Well fine!" Stan scoffed. "Fine!" Crystal yelled. Whirling around, Crystal stormed off. Shaking his head angrily, Stan kicked a piece of aluminum gum wrapper and stomped off the other direction. And just like that, the two hamsters seperated...

* * *

_(Crystal...)_

"..I don't need him! I can find my own way! Who needs that big, stubborn, fat-headed, show-offy jerk and..." Crystal slowed down. "..and sweet...and funny...and..nice, understanding, and..." Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. _Maybe I shouldn't have been so mean to Stan. Besides, he's right. It **is **my fault!_ _I didn't know what I was doing!_ she thought. Suddenly, her anger took over. Crystal rubbed her eyes. "What am I doing? I can't be such a softie!" she told herself in a whisper. The now lonely girl hamster walked down the street in silence. Just then, she walked past a television store. All of the TV screens were on. Crystal ignored them as she slumped down and moped...

* * *

(_Stan...)_

"..what a snobby, bratty, stubborn, big-headed, know-it-all!" Stan growled, kicking the dust on the sidewalk. Suddenly, as he kicked the ground once more, he scraped his paw slightly on the cement. "Ouchichi!" he squealed. Sulking, he sat down and leaned against a wall of a radio store. _I wonder how Crystal would react to this..?_ Stan thought as he looked down at a small red scrape on his foot. Stan frowned just at the thought of it...

* * *

_(Crystal...)_

Sighing, Crystal felt the cold wind stroke her fur. Just then, she heard soft, sad music flow into her ears.

_You've been such a good friend_

_I've known you since I don't know when_

_We've got lots of friends, but they_

_Come and go._

_Even though we've never said it,_

_There's something that the two of us both know._

_Together forever, no matter how long_

_From now until the end of time_

_We'll be together, and you can be sure_

_That's forever and a day_

_That's how long we'll stay_

_Together and forever more..._

"Heke?" Crystal piped up. She climbed up the wall and peeked through the window. She listened closely to the next verse...

_Always gone that extra mile_

_Depended on you all the while_

_Even in the good and bad times, _

_You will see_

_From now until our journey's end_

_You know you can always count on me._

_Together forever, no matter how long_

_From now until the end of time_

_We'll be together and you can be sure_

_That's forever and a day_

_That's how long we'll stay_

_Together and forever more..._

Crystal could feel tears sting the corners of her eyes. "It reminds me of Stan..." she sniffled. She knew that from the moment she met him, he would end up being a really good friend.

_No matter where our destiny leads, _

_I'll be there for you, always come through _

_And that you can believe._

_Together forever, no matter how long_

_From now until the end of time_

_We'll be together and you can be sure_

_That's forever and a day _

_That's how long we'll stay_

_Together and forever mooore! _

_Together forever, no matter how long_

_Now until the end of time(Now until the end of time)_

_We'll be together and you can be sure(Together forever)_

_That's forever and a day(Forever)_

_That's how long we'll stay(We'll stay)_

_Together and forever more..._

The song slowly faded away. Crystal sat back down, her back leaning on the glass window. "That was weird. I mean...how is it that technology knows what we're doing? Did that TV see our fight? Is that it? Wow. I'm confused!" the little girl rubbed her temples. "Wait! Stan is right. This is entirely **my **fault! I gotta go apologize! Thanks TV thingy!" Crystal hopped from the glass window and began to scurry down the sidewalk. "Oh God, where is he?" Crystal looked around. She couldn't find him anywhere. Finally, she gave in. "What's the point? Street Genius is probably long gone now!" Disappointed, she crept into an alley...

* * *

_(Stan...)_

Meanwhile, Stan was listening to the exact same song Crystal was listening, except it was through the radio. "Is that radio talking to me about my fight with Crystal?" Stan asked under his breath. By now, it was ending. Just then, Stan realized something. "Hold on! City Girl's right! This whole mess **was **my fault! Umm..thanks for the advice Mr. Radio!" Stan stood up and ran off, not caring for his scrape.(**A/N: _sighs_Kids...**) "Where is she?" Stan looked around as he ran through the sidewalk. He sniffed the air, hoping to get a god sniff of her. He did. Crystal wasn't too far away. In fact, she was really, reeeaaalllly close!

Just then, he heard a soft crying coming from an alley behind him. "Crystal?" Stan called as he entered the alley. The crying stopped. There was a gasp heard. "Crystal? It's me, Stan! Are you here?" the tiger-striped hamster asked once again. Nobody answered him. "Crystal! Aww, c'mon! Don't be so mad at me!" Stan sighed. **Ticki-ticki! **Scared, Stan whirled around. Crystal was peeking out from a garbage can. "Mad?" she whispered. "Umm..yeah. I-I kinda acted like a jerk back then." Stan said, lowering his head. "You? Uh-uh. I was the one acting jerrr...kish." Crystal struggled to find that last word. "Heke?" Stan raised an eyebrow. "The point is...it's my fault we got us lost." Crystal continued. "Wrong, City Girl! It was my fault! I was the one who dragged us out of that park. I guess...cause I wanted to impress you." Stan confessed. "Impress **me**? Why me?" Crystal wondered. "Cause...I thought you'd make a really cool friend." A splash of red colored Stan's cheeks. Crystal smiled, and deep down inside, she knew what she had to do now.

"Actually, there's something I wanna tell you too. I'm not a city girl! I mean, I live in this city, but I don't know anything about it!" Crystal admitted. "Huh?" Now it was Stan's turn to be confused. "Ya' see, I've had a pretty sheltered life ever since I was just a baby. I was born and raised in a pet store not too far away from the park. It was always the same! I wasn't ever **ever **allowed to go outside, or step foot out the door." Crystal began. "Gee, that's awful!" Stan frowned. Personally, he loved going outside. "I think the reason was because of Daddy. He left the family a while ago. I overheard my mom telling Auntie the whole story." Stan gave her a confused look. "My cousin's mom." Crystal corrected. "Ohh!" Stan nodded, understanding who "Auntie" was. "Anyways, she said Daddy didn't really like living in a pet store. Mommy and Daddy fought alot. Their yellings made me cry, cause I was scared. But he loved me alot. He even sneaked me outside! I fell in love with the outside world at once. He told me that I should go outside to find adventures. I remember when he was gonna leave, he came into my room and kissed my forehead. Then he said, 'Bye bye Crystal! Daddy has to go out and explore the outside. I'll come back, okay?' Then he left. The next day, I found Mommy crying. She was really mad! I wanted to tell her what Daddy told me, but she wouldn't listen. Instead, she hugged me and said 'Sweetie, Daddy's left for a trip.' She sounded upset. I haven't heard from him since.." Crystal voice slowly trailed off. For a moment, Stan thought she was going to cry, but she didn't.

"...I guess that makes us two of a kind!" Stan said. "Whaddaya mean?" Crystal looked at him. "Well, when I was a kid, my dad left too. Mom had to take care of us, until Hilary took me and my sis in. Then, I moved in with Noel not too long ago." he explained. "Oh...so, wanna go back to the park?" Crystal asked. "You mean as friends?" Stan smiled. "You bet!" Crystal cheered. As long as we don't ever fight like that ever again!" Stan suggested. "Deal!" Crystal held out her paw. Stan shook it. "Deal!" he stated. Suddenly, the two friends-once-again heard a **MREOWWW**!

"EEP!" Crystal hid behind Stan. Stan froze. "D-Did that s-s-s-sound l-li-like a c-c-cat?" he choked out. "I-I-I don't know. B-But I wish it w-w-wasn't !" Crystal whimpered. Suddenly, the shadow of a cat appeared in the darkest corners of the alley. "AAAAHHHHHH! MORE CATS? Stan and Crystal screamed at the top of their lungs. The cat stepped out of the shadows. It was black with a white belly and a white crescent-shaped spot on it's forehead. It had deep blue eyes. "Hey what's your problem, little hamsters?" she said in an innocent voice tone.

The two hamsters froze. "Stan...the cat is talking to us!" Crystal squealed in a high, frightful voice. "You know what talkin' cats do next, do you?" Stan questioned. "Yeah...they talk some more!" the cat answered before Crystal could even open her mouth. "Oh please, please don't eat us! We don't even taste that good!" Stan begged. "Yeah! We have to get home, or else everyone will think we ran away when we didn't! Ya see, I ran away from a pet store to explore the city, and I met up with Stan here, and we left the playground to have fun, but we ended up getting into a fight and went into totally different directions. But then we forgave each other cause we regretteded(**A/N: It's supposed to be like that**) yelling at each other so we made a deal to never ever ever fight like that ever again and trhen we heard you coming and we got scared cause you were gonna eat us and...and..." Crystal stopped her frantic speech to see the cat was staring at her strangely. "..and y-you're not eating us..." she finished.

"First of all, it's 'regretted', not 'regretteded'.(**A/N: Told ya!**) Secondly, I'm not gonna eat you!" the cat sighed. "You're not?" Stan blinked. "No! Eating other small animals like you is wrong! And gross! No offense." the cat told them. "Umm, what's offense?" Crystal asked stupidly. "Never mind that. I'm Luna and I'm a vegetarian." Stan and Crystal blinked. Before they could ask, Luna quickly added, "That means that I don't eat any type of meat from other animals and only eat stuff like fruits and vegetables." Crystal sighed with relief. "Whew! Now **that's **a cat! Somebody who doesn't eat small defenseless critters like us!" she said. Luna blushed. "Thank you! Now you said you both came from a hamster park?" she asked. "Uh-huh!" both hamsters nodded. "I know a park for hamsters! It's not too far away from here, but for hamsters **your **age, you sure wandered off a whole lot!" Luna pointed out. Crystal and Stan reddened. "Can you take us there?" Crystal asked. "Of course!" Luna nodded happily. "You will?" Stan perked up. "Oh, thank you!" Crystal almost hugged her--actually, she did. "Whoa! Calm down, I'll take you **if **you give me some of those sunflower seeds! I love sunflower seeds!" she said. "We do too. But it's a done deal!" Crystal agreed. "It is?" Stan whispered in her ear, disappointed. Crystal merely nodded.

"Okay, hop on!" Luna lowered her body, allowing the hamsters to settle themselves on her back. Crystal and Stan gladly settled into her soft warm fur. "Hold on!" Luna warned as she took off. "Whoa!" Crystal immedietaly grabbed onto Stan. They both almost froze.(**A/N: If you're expecting a romantic scene where they blush and blah, blah, blah, think again!**) "Can you let go of me, please?" Stan asked calmly. Crystal simply obeyed. "Well, excuse me! I slipped." Crystal defended herself as patiently as possible in order to avoid another fued. "Okay." Stan shrugged.(**A/N: Hel-lo? They're four! They don't feel anything 'til they're like what? Thirteen!**) The ride went on for another few minutes. The three friends talked just about everything. "Blood makes me queasy." Luna had told Crystal when she had asked why she didn't eat meat. They all wrinkled her noses.

"We're here!" Luna announced. "Heke?" the two friends looked up. Sure enough, there it was. "Home!" they squealed. Luna set them down in front of the entrance. Luckily, no one was there anymore. The sun was starting to set in the horizon. It was getting a bit chilly. Crystal gave all of their sunflower seeds to Luna. "Ya'll should be heading home now. See ya!" Stan and Crystal waved good-bye and faced their destinations. The pet shop was closing. Noel's car was parked in front of the apartment where Stan came out of. "I'm in trouble!" they both whined. They faced each other.

"I had the coolest day of my life today! Thanks!" Crystal smiled weakly. "Me too! I'm sorry that you were never allowed outside." Stan said. "I'm sorry you and your twin seperated." Crystal replied. During the ride, Crystal had asked about his twin sister. He told her everything. "You think we'll ever see each other again? After all, we're totally grounded!" Stan asked. "Maybe. If we're lucky, we can see each other right here tomorrow." Crystal said. "Or sneak out." Stan smirked. They laughed. Then they hugged. "See ya tomorrow!" they said at the exact same time. Turning around, the two hamsters seperated and prepared for the worst...

_To be con't..._

**A/N: WHEW! That was one hell of a chapter! I had to combine two chapters to do this one. By the way, change of plans. Friday, I'm going to Splish Splash. Yay me! Friday night, we're heading off to Canada. Since I live in New York, it won't take too long. I won't be back 'til Sunday. So don't expect any new chapter in between those days. But I promise as soon as I come back, I'll let ya' know. Ooh! Also, I'm gonna try to wach Hamtaro on YTV in Canada. It won't be that easy, cause it comes on at 5, 6 and 11 AM! O.o Shocking, no?**

**I'll miss you guys, but hey! It's only two days!**

**Love ya all!**

**crystalgurl101**


	10. Stan's Bad News!

**A/N: Hi everybody! I'm baaaack! And I'm ready to give you this new chapter. It's pretty long like the last one, and it's sad too. You wanna know why? Well, you gotta read, silly! Check it out! **

**P.S. The song from the last chapter was "Together Forever" from the first Pokemon soundtrack. It's such a cute song! Yes, I like Pokemon music! So sue me! ;)**

Chapter 10: Stan's Bad News

Crystal slowly walked in through the opening of the front doors. There was employees everywhere, cleaning up the kitty liter mess Crystal had caused earlier that day. She couldn't help but notice the frown on the manager's face. He seemed worried about something. Crystal took a deep breath. She crawled underneath a shelf and pretended to slip out from there. No sooner had she done that when Becky, an employee that fed the hamsters and the birds, saw her. "Hey, there she is!" she smiled. Becky squatted down and picked up the little hamster. "Hey there little hamster! Where **were** you?" she asked in relief. Everyone sighed, knowing the rare purebred hamster was safe and sound. Becky placed her back in her cage. "Don't worry, Sir! The hamster musta' been hiding in a corner or something!" the cashier told the manager. He nodded and smiled, relieved. Crystal grinned as well, knowing the employees weren't angry with her.

"**A-HEM!**" a furious voice shrilled in Crystal's ears. Crystal immedietaly stiffened, knowing whose voice that was. "Heh heh! H-H-Hi Mom!" the little girl slowly turned around. She turned to face Angie, glowering over her. Nikki, her mother and everyone else was huddled in a corner. Crystal felt very small. "Crystal, **what** were you thinking? Going out into that dirty, infested world and giving us all a heart attack! Do you have any idea how much damage you've caused?" Angie scolded. "Especially to our fur?" Haylie added. "**And **our hair?" Rose piped up. "**And **to me?" Nikki whined. "Nikki! Haylie! Rose! **I'm** talking here!" Angie hissed. The three girls backed off. "As I was saying, Crystal, how could you do this? I thought I specifically told you: **NO **going outside!" she continued.(**A/N: Yeesh! Harsh much?**) Finally, Crystal had had enough. She was sick of always being pushed around all her life. So before she could stop herself, she blew up.

"THAT'S IT! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! WHY ARE YOU SO PROTECTIVE OF ME, MOM? I CAN DO ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU LET ME! I MAY BE FOUR, BUT I'M A HAMSTER! I'M NOT LIKE A HUMAN! I CAN ACTUALLY DO MORE THAN YOU THINK I CAN DO! I CAN JUMP OVER SODA CANS, CLIMB TABLES, OUTRUN A CAT, AND EVEN MAKE NEW FRIENDS! MOMMY, WHY CAN'T YOU TRUST ME? I'M YOUR DAUGHTER!" Fuming, she whirled around and scurried into her ham-house, noticing a tiny glimpse of her family and friends' shocked faces. She sunk into a corner and actually started to cry. After a while, she managed to calm down. However she remained in the corner, sulking. Suddenly, Crystal heard footsteps. "Crystal? Sweetie, can I come in?" It was Nikki's mom--who by the way, is named Faith. "Sure..." Crystal answered in a small voice. Her aunt smiled and quietly came in.

"Crystal, I came in because your mom...well..." Faith's voice trailed off. "Auntie, why is Mommy so protective of me?" Crystal turned around and looked at her. Faith sighed and sat on Crystal's bed. "Sit..." she patted a spot next to her. Crystal sat. "Why, Auntie? Why doesn't she trust me? I mean, I know I'm young, but I'm not a baby whose learning how to crawl! I can do things on my own now!" Crystal demanded. Faith sighed again. "Oh Crystal...times have been so hard lately for your mom. Ever since your dad left the family, she's been all over you!" Faith began. "I know that, but why?" Crystal asked, sniffling away her sobbings. "Well...when Angie met your father, she was pretty sure she was in love. When they had you, everything was perfect! _sighs_ But then, they started fighting and arguing on how to raise you. I would hear them almost every night whenever I fed Nikki. And then, I'd hear you cry. It was hard for all of us...did Angie ever tell you your dad's name?"

Crystal shook her head. "No. What was it?" she wondered. Faith smiled. "Phillip. He was a wonderful brother-in-law. Crystal, he really loved you and Angie very much. He loved Nikki too. He loved and cared for everybody!" she said. "Then why did he leave?" Crystal's voice came out as a squeak. "Because he wanted to see the world. He even wanted to take you! But Angie was outraged and said she wanted you to be raised in a world of society. Phillip said that you loved the outside world very much and that she would be happy if you were raised as an adventurous and outgoing young hamster. They fought for a long time. Finally, Phillip stormed into a corner and Angie went into her room. The next morning, he was gone. All that he left was a note to Angie saying that he was going to travel around the globe and no matter **how **you were raised, you would always have the stubborn, ambitious spirit that he had...and I guess after today, he was right." There was silence. Crystal had never heard that part of the story before. Even though she had her mother's looks, itdidn't mean she was just **like** her! She also had her dad's rebellious personality and need for adventure. _So **that's **where I got it from!_ she thought.

"I...I had no idea." Crystal managed to say. "Yeah, well I can't blame you. Angie's just scared. She's afraid that since you have your father's character traits, you'll run away just like he did. Then she won't have her family anymore." Faith admitted. "What? But...but I would **never** do that! I mean, sure I like to be out there like Daddy, but she's my **mom**! I'll never leave her no matter how many times we fight! I love her! She means alot to me!" Crystal stated. Faith smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way, Crystal." she said. Faith hugged Crystal and left the room. Crystal smiled, feeling much better. She followed her aunt and walked towards her mom. "Mom?" Crystal piped up. Angie turned around, surprised to see her daughter smiling. "Crystal...I'm sorry! I don't mean to be so protective of you! I just want what's best for you, and--" But Crystal interrupted her. "Don't say anymore. I know what the real problem is. Mom, I will neverevereverever**ever** run away! You're my mom! And I love you. So, don't worry about a thing, cause I'm staying right here!" Crystal smiled. Angie smiled back. "Oh, thank-Q Crystal! I love you too. You're the whole world to me! And nothing will change that! But I guess I don't let you outside because it's hard to accept that you're growing up. And I can't change the fact that you want to be free too. You won't be a baby forever, and I have to learn to get used to that." Angie told her.

"I may not be a baby...but that doesn't mean I'm not a kid! I still have a loooong way to go!" Crystal shrugged. They both laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right!" Angie agreed, relieved. "And besides, I left and came back, riiiight?" Crystal smirked. Angie nodded as if coming up with something. And she did. They compromised. Angie would allow her to go outside; as long as Crystal came back by 8 o' clock at night. "Thanks, Mom!" Crystal squealed, hugging her mother. Angie knew loosening up wasn't going to be easy, but hey! It was bound to start **some **time!

* * *

_(The next morning...)_

Everything and everyone in the city awoke with blissful energy. Children played once again in the hamster playground. Parents talked amongst each other. Everyone seemed relaxed and careless--except one certain hamster...

"Ohhh crap! Damnit! How am I gonna explain this to Crystal?"Stan whined. He had managed to escape Noel today **and **last night. _What a nut!_ Stan scoffed as he thought of how Noel was convinced Stan was asleep under his wood shavings the whole time and he didn't see him."Stan?" Crystal's voice brought him back to reality. He looked up to see Crystal not too far away. "Crystal!" Stan felt a smile spread on his face. Overjoyed to see him, Crystal ran over and hugged him tightly. "Ouchichi! Can't...breathe..!" Stan teased. "Oopsie. Sorry." Crystal blushed and let go. "Anywho, I came to tell you that I actually got away with yesterday!" she continued. So, Crystal told her friend about the deal that she and her mother had agreed on.

"Lucky you!" Stan smiled. "What about you?" Crystal questioned. "Noel thought I was hiding in my ham-house under my wood shavings...the whole time!" he laughed. Crystal snickered as well. "Humans can be soooo easily fooled sometimes!" she giggled. Just then, Crystal grabbed Stan's arm and began to drag him out onto the streets. "C'mon Stan! Let's go terrorize a tour bus down on 5th Avenue!" she said excitedly. But Stan didn't budge. "Crystal?" he began. "Not now Stan you can talk to me later, okay? Let's go!" Crystal ignored him and tore off. Stan frowned. He could feel his heart grow heavy. _Oh, Crystal. How the hell am I supposed to tell you this! It's totally breaking my heart...!

* * *

_

_(Later that day...)_

Stan and Crystal laughed as they walked down the street. They had sneaked off and followed some teens to a hamster mall. While Crystal window-shopped at some stores, Stan took a deep breath. He had been trying to confess something to Crystal all day. _C'mon Stan, you can do this. You **have** to! If not, things'll get much worse for her! But I wish this wasn't happening!_Stan told himself. Finally, he was able to muster up enough courage to say Crystal's name. "Uhh..u-umm...Crystal?" he choked out. "Yeah?" Crystal replied, not taking her eyes off of the windows. "Crystal, this is serious. You need to look at me." Stan found himself saying. "What?" Crystal looked at her friend--and froze. Stan had a really hurt look on his face.

"Stan, what's wrong? I...I don't like the look on your face.." Crystal whispered, a fearful chill running down Crystal's spine. "Crystal..." Stan started, but trailed off. Crystal grew even more afraid. She felt like crying. "Stan, tell me! You're really starting to scare me!" Crystal whimpered. "Crystal. I'm sorry, but...I'm leaving." Stan let it out. "Heke? What are you talking about?" Crystal seemed confused. "Noel said me and him have to go back. To my home. Where I really live. I don't live here, remember?" Stan explained.

Crystal was speechless. For two long seconds, she couldn't breathe. Finally, she was able to choke out a few words."L-Leave? Leave **me**? But...b-but...but you **can't **leave! Stan, I don't want you to go! I want you to stay! Here! With me! We're friends! If you leave, who's gonna play with me!" Crystal began to cry. Stan hung his head as Crystal continued to bawl. Crystal wiped her tears, but they wouldn't stop rolling down her cheeks. "When...w-whenare you leaving?" she dared herself to ask. "Tomorrow morning. I found out just last night." Stan answered sadly. Crystal cried even louder and harder. "Nooo! This isn't happening!" she cried between sobs. She was almost inconsolable. Finally, Stan squeezed her in a hug. Crystal returned it.

"Crystal, I don't wanna go either! B-But I have to! Noel's my human. And I'm his hamster. What will he do without me?" Stan told her, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He blinked them away before Crystal could look up at him. "Crystal, he needsme. He's like family..."The heartbroken girlsniffled. "I'm gonna miss you." she squeaked. "Me too." Stan nodded in agreement. They stood in silence. After what seemed like a year, Stan perked up. "Look, I have only one day left here. Why not make it the bestest day we've ever had!" he suggested. "You know, what? You're right! We should make the best out of it and have the funnest day of fun days in the whole wide universe!" Crystal said in determination. "Yeah, that's the spirit!" Stan smiled bravely. "C'mon! We're gonna have one hell of a day that neither of us will never ever forget!" Stan grabbed Crystal's paw and ran through the exit doors.

* * *

_(Late that night...)_

Crystal tossed and turned in her bed. Stan was leaving tomorrow. They had had a great day today. But Crystal was sadder than ever. Her best friend was going home. She wouldn't see him for a long time...maybe even forever! Crystal cried silently for a few minutes. Finally, she stood up and sneaked out of her cage. She slipped out into the midnight darkness and ran down the hollow streets. She feltlight-headed and numb. Thoughts rushed through her head. Losing Stan wasn't going to be easy. But maybe, she could do something that would make the aching less painful. And not make Stan forget about his friendship with her. Ever. "I'll make sure Stan never forgets about me. Then, we'll never forget about each other! And I know **just **how to do that..!"

* * *

_(Half an hour later...)_

Crystal slipped back into the pet shop. "Nobody's awake. Good." Crystal smiled. The sneaky hamster ran across the floor, climbed the shelf, crawled back into her cage and entered her ham-house. She had a secret package in her paws. "I gotta hide this, just in case. This is only for Stan and only he can see this. After all, he ain't leavin' without a good-bye present!" Smiling in triumpth, Crystal shoved the present under her bed, and covered it with wood shavings. Then, she collasped onto her bed and almost immedietaly fell asleep. A few seconds later, a small figure stepped out of the shadows from outside of Crystal's room. It was about Crystal's size. Nikki. She smirked evilly.

"Hmmmm...who's Stan?"

_To be con't...

* * *

_

**A/N: Okay, that's as much as I can put! Next time, Stan bids Crystal good-bye...and they both have special surprises for each other! But that's not all! Crystal, Nikki, Haylie and Rose's mothers have a terrible new secret that will affect them for the rest of their lives! Nikki hears some gossip about it and tells Crystal, Haylie and Rose. They are determined to find out--and it isn't long 'til they do! So don't miss out on chapter 11, Tearful Good-Byes! **

**See ya then! **

**And sorry I haven't been around lately! But I'm back! And I'm ready!**

**crystalgurl101**


	11. Tearful GoodByes

**A/N: I've got good news and bad news.**

**Bad news: I got nothing on my mind to talk about. Except, sorry it took so long! I'm a lazy butt-head...sometimes..**

**Good news: Here's chapter 11! Enjoy the show!

* * *

**

Chapter 11: Tearful Good-Byes!

The very next morning, Crystal sat up from bed. She had barely slept a wink during the last four long hours. All she could do was lie on her side and watch the sun slowly rise. Finally, she had decided to get up just a few moments ago. As Crystal got out of bed, she almost fell to the floor from her anxiety. The girl stepped out of her room and walked to the huge water bottle clinging to the metal cage bar. She could fell her teeth chattering--but not from the chilly morning current, but from the jitters in the pit of her stomach. She got ready to leave by doing her hair, washing her face, etc. etc. blah, blah, blah. Crystal thought of Stan and how she and him had met and how much they had in common.

_Too bad he has to go... _she thought sadly. Crystal bent down to find her present, but stopped. Stan's present. It was gone! "Ack! Where is it? Where is it? Oh no, it can't be missing! **NOT NOW**!" Crystal frantically searched underneath her bed. Soon, under the bed turned to the whole bed, then it turned to the entire room. Nothing! Just when she was ready to freak out...

"G' morning Crystal! Looking for something?" a deadly innocent voice asked her. Crystal's blood went cold as she looked up. Nikki was towering over her, a sneaky smirk on her face and Stan's good-bye present in her paws! Crystal hopped to her feet the moment she saw what Nikki possessed.

"Nikki? Gimme that back!" Crystal snapped. "Umm let me think that over...NO!" Nikki said coolly. (**A/N: Evil!**) "Nikki, I do not have time for your nonsense! Now, give me the damn box!" Crystal demanded again. "Not until **you **tell me who's it for!" Nikki stated. Crystal's cheeks immedietaly drowned in a massive red wave of embarassment. She felt her face grow fire-hot. (**A/N: SO evil!**) "W-Why should I tell **you**?" she shot back, trying her best to hide the flushed tint on her cheeks. "No talky. No gifty." Nikki said as if to say "that's final". (**A/N: So, SO evil!**) There was a slight pause between them. Finally, Crystal sighed, defeated. She was cornered--and there was no way out!

"Okay...do you **promise **you won't tell anyone?" she asked. "Pffth! Duh!" Nikki rolled her eyes. But Crystal knew her cousin much better than that. "That does **not **include telling Haylie, Rose, my mom, your mom, Haylie and Rose's mom, even the talking parrot over there that spread every piece of gossip it hears to all the animals, or anybody else you have in your phone book!" Crystal added with a smile.

"Aww! Not even the parrots that **don't **talk?" Nikki whined. "Nope! Nobody, my friend. That's what keeping a _Secret_ is all about!" Crystal told her. "They have a word for it now?" Nikki asked cluelessly. "Nikki?" Crystal warned with a deadly tone. "Okay, okay! So, who's Stan?" she questioned. "Heke? How did you know his--" To answer Crystal's incomplete question, Nikki pointed to a sticker that said, _"2: Stan",_ something that even Nikki would read. Crystal sweatdropped. "Riiight. Stan." The ponytailed girl looked around cautiously. "Okay, c'mere.." Then she pulled Nikki closer and started whispering in her ear.

* * *

§ _Outside... _§

Stan squirmed nervously, waiting for Crystal. He was leaving in a few minutes and she **still **hadn't arrived. _I wonder if she'll like this... _Stan looked behind him at something he had. "Ahem." a voice cleared her throat. Stan whirled around. Crystal. "Hi.." she whispered. "H-Hey.." Stan replied. They stared at each other until Crystal could feel herself start to blush. "I...I'm sorry you have to go. If you didn't, we'd still be friends." Crystal said softly. "Hey, we don't have to live across the street from each other to be friends!" Stan smiled. Crystal felt the lump on her throat slowly start to creep back. But she bravely held back on the tears. Then, she noticed Stan was positioned strangely. He was keeping something a secret. Something in her guts told her so.

"Hey Stan?"

"Yeah?"

"Uhhh..whatcha hiding behind your back?"

"Umm, my paws?" Stan answered as if he was asking a question.

"Thanks for pointing that out Captain Obvious, but what's in your paws?"

Stan squirmed again. "Uhhh...umm...it's aaaa...oh hell! It's for you!" Stan thrust out a present. It was small, but colorful. Crystal froze. "For m-me?" she whispered. "Yeah. I got it the night I found out we were leaving. Thought you'd like it." the boy shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Oh, well...thank you! I mean, you really shouldn't have--" Just then, Crystal opened her gift and stopped dead in her tracks. Inside, was a pink jewelry box with red, blue and lavendar rhimestones. She gasped lightly. "It's sooo pretty! Where'd you get it?" Crystal **had **to know. "The mall, duh!" Stan smiled. Crystal frowned. Oh, that helped! "Look inside."

"Heke?" Crystal blinked. "You heard me. Look inside the box thing." Stan repeated patiently. Shrugging, Crystal simply did as she was told. Then, she screamed. "Aahhhh! Crystal, shut up! You're breaking the sound barrier!" Stan covered his orange ears. "Sound barrier?" Crystal squinted at the new word. "...that's a word, right?" Stan asked. "How should I know!" Crystal shrugged. "Never mind! Sooo, do you like it?" Stan changed the subject. "Well, duh I do!" Crystal squealed as she looked inside the box once again. Sitting in the middle of some fluffy cotton stuffing, was a..(**A/N: Can anybody take a last-minute guess? C'mon...okay, time's up! It's a...**) pink flower-shaped hairclip.(**A/N: Ohhh! So that's where she got it from!**)

"It **might **be a little big on you now, so you're gonna have to wait for it to--" But Stan never got to finish, for Crystal had thrown her arms around him and squeezed him into a hug. "Thank-Q sooo much, Stan. Thank-Q, thank-Q, thank-Q, thank-Q! How did you know I had hair issues?" she squealed. "Well, for starters, you always poked at your ribbon and complained under your breath about how you hated it. Can you let go of me now?" Stan said. "Oopsie. Sorry!" Crystal giggled nervously and let go.

"Anyways, I got something for you too!" she added. "Oh, you **did**? Well, bring it on!" Stan smiled. Grinning like an idiot, Crystal ran to the bush nearby and pulled out her package. Crystal--unfortunetaly--had to spill everything in order to take back Stan's secret gift. On the plus side though, Crystal made Nikki promise with all her stinkin' heart not to tell anyone...or else Crystal would reveal a blackmail movie she had filmed a while back, featuring Nikki snoring in her sleep!

"Here. I got this for you." Crystal placed the wrapped package into Stan's paws. The eager male hamster shook the box. "Hmm...I wonder what this could be?" he said sarcastically. Crystal giggled. But inside, her heart speed skyrocketed as Stan tore the wrappings to pieces. Then he gasped. "Oh Crystal! This is totally awesome!" he exclaimed as he picked up his gift. "Uhh..what are they?" he added. Crystal smiled. "They're called maracas, silly boy. If you shake 'em, they make a rattling sound. It's a musical instrument." she explained. "Give it a little shake. Go ahead!"

Stan was a little hesitant, but shook them anyways. _Ch, ch, ch! _Stan liked the sound they made. "Ooh! Me like sound!" he cooed. He shook them a little harder. "Oh yeah! Shake it up, baby!" he hopped up and down. Before he knew it, Stan was fooling around with his new toys. "Glad you like it! I had a gut feeling you liked making your own music." Crystal said. "Do I!" Stan nodded. (**A/N: I'm not sure exactly HOW Stan got his maracas, but let's just pretend this is how. And no complaining. C'mon! Roll with it, peoples, roll with it!**)

**Slam! **

The car door to Noel's trunk was closed shut. "Kay, all set back here!" one of Noel's friends called. Stan and Crystal's smiles faded. It was time. They turned to face one another. "Sooo...I guess it's time, huh?" Stan gulped. Tears were already burning in Crystal's eyes. "Y-Ye-yeah. I-I-I g-gues-s-s.." she stuttered, trying her best not to cry. "I'm really gonna miss you..." Stan whispered. Crystal lowered her head. A few secondspassed.

"You're not gonna forget me, right?"

Stan had to pause from that sentence. He smiled. "No way! Not in a thousand years! I'm always gonna remember you! You have become one of my bestest friends." he told her. Crystal looked up and forced a smile. "Wait. You're not gonna forget **m-me**..are you?" Stan asked. There was a pause. "I'll never forget you, Stan. Not in a **million** years! Thanks to you, I've finally got the courage to go outside without having to worry how long Mom'll ground me for!" Crystal said weakly.

There was yet another pause.

"Thanks for the maracas. They're great!"

"Thank **you **for this hairclip. I'll treasure it for the rest of my life!"

Then, they hugged. It lasted ten long seconds.

"Good luck in the future Stan."

"You too, Crystal."

Crestfallen(**A/N: Whatever that means...**), Stan bounded to the car and slipped through the open window in the passenger seat. Crystal looked on with tears falling down her cheeks. Before entering his cage, Stan peeked through the window. Crystal was squeezing the hairclip and the jewelry box to her chest.

**Brrroom!**

The car's engine turned on.

Crystal was on the verge of breaking down. It was hard to breathe. Stan gulped back his own cries. Instead, he waved. "Bye..." he whispered. Although Crystal couldn't hear him, she saw him mouth it out. "Bye..." she whispered back and waved. Stan saw her mouth it as well. He held the maracas tightly. Stan felt a jolt as Noel put the car in Drive.

"Bye Noel!"

"Call us, dude!"

Noel's friends waved good-bye as the car slowly pulled away from the parking spot. Stan tried to smile. Crystal smiled back, but inside, her soul was crying.

The last thing she saw was Stan's eye wink at her...(**A/N: I'm not gonna cry. This is MY story, so I'm not gonna cry..._sniffs_...oh hell. WAAAAHHHH!**)

* * *

§ _Inside the pet store... _§

"So, how'd it go?" Nikki asked in a small voice as Crystal slipped through the cage door. The young girl-ham was sitting on a lounge chair, reading a magazine.

"Not good. Stan left..."

"Oh...sorry.."

"Thanks.."

There was a long pause. Finally, Crystal sighed. "I..I wanna be alone.." she announced. "Okay." Nikki nodded. She left and went to her room. But even though she was far away from Crystal's room, she could still hear her soft cries echoing in the air...

* * *

§ _That afternoon..._ §

"Hello, my dearest family and friends!"

Angie, Nikki, Faith, Haylie, Rose and their mom turned to see Crystal smiling brightly as she stepped out of her room. She hugged Haylie and Rose. "Glorious to see you, friends! And same to you, ma'am!" she squealed as she hugged their mother. "Nicole! How is my favoritest cousin in the entire universe?" Nikki was baffled as Crystal squeezed her. Who was Nicole? Her name was Nikki! "Auntie Faith! Such a pleasure to see you today! And mother, how are you on this perfect day of all days?" Crystal embraced Faith and kissed Angie's cheek.

"Okay, cut the crap Crystal. We know you're depressed!" Nikki sighed. "**Nikki?**" Faith snapped. Crystal's overly excited smile immedietaly faded. "Yeah, you're right. How's it goin' peoples?" she said in a bored voice tone. "Umm fine, I guess. Crystal, I know losing a friend is difficult, but you'll get over it." Angie comforted. "Yeah! At least you two had fun while it lasted!" Haylie added. Crystal smiled as her family and friends reassured her. "Thanks, you guys!" she replied. The rest of the day went on like that. Crystal tried her best to get Stan off her mind. Unfortunetaly, things would get worse for not only Crystal, but for Nikki, Rose and Haylie as well the next day!

* * *

§ _The next day... _§

Crystal and Nikki came back to their cage with smiles on their faces. In order to make her feel better, Nikki had taken Crystal to a hamster spa(**A/N: Please don't ask! Sister's idea..**) for intensive treatment, relaxation and paradise. "Ahh! Thanks for taking me to the spa, Nik! I feel so alive!" Crystal sighed. "Don't thank me, thank health and beauty!" Nikki winked. "Oh, okay!" Crystal looked at the sky. "Thanks Health and Beauty!" Nikki sweatdropped. "Ooookaaay!" she mumbled.

All of a sudden, the two cousins saw Haylie and Rose, tear-stained. Nikki gasped. "Girls! What on earth happened?" she asked. "Are you okay?" CVrystal added. "N-No! We just got some totally horrid news!" Haylie sniffled. "Well, spit it out!" Crystal exclaimed. "Okay...th-they're tak-king o-our moms-s awaaayy!" Rose choked out. "**What?**" Crystal and Nikki were speechless. "What the hell do you mean they're taking them away?" Crystal just then realized Stan's "colorful-vocabulary" habits had kind of rubbed off on her. But now was not the time to think about that. "We don't know, but they took our moms and said that we're not gonna see them for quite a while!" Rose added. Nikki, realizing her mother wasn't in the cage, burst into tears. "Nooo! Where's my mom?" she cried.

"Where are they?" Crystal demanded. "Over there!" Haylie pointed to a cage not too far away from the cash register. "C'mon! We're gonna rescue our moms! No flat-foot humans are gonna break up **this **family!" she said bravely. With that said, Crystal ran to the cage door and slid it open. "C'mon, are you in or are you out?" she asked. "I'm in!" Nikki stepped up. "Me too!" Haylie volunteered. "Me three!" Rose followed. The four young hamsters escaped the cage and scurried onto the floor. "**EEP! **The floor's so cold and clammy!" Haylie whined. "It's waaaay too big out here!" Rose added. "Never mind that! Now, let's go!" Crystal commanded. The others reluctantly ran at her heel. It wasn't long until Crystal saw the three adult women in the cage. "Mom!" they all squealed.

"Heke?" Angie looked up to see four tiny little girls racing thowards them. "I can't believe it!" Faith gasped. "I know...Haylie and Rose are actually out of the cage!" Samantha(**that's her name**) blinked. Angie opened the cage, allowing the daughters to enter. Then, each daughter embraced their mother. "Mom! I'm so glad you're okay!" Crystal sighed. "Now, c'mon!" Nikki urged. "There's still time to bail you out!"Haylie rushed.

"Honey...we're not leaving this cage." Angie confessed.

For a moment, time stood still. Nobody breathed.

"W-what do you mean?" Nikki broke the silence. "Oh Nikki. The pet shop has decided that it's time to move on. Starting today, you're all officially for sale." Faith told them. "**What?**" the four hamsters shrieked. "What do you mean _For Sale_?" Rose demanded. Those two words were the only thing pet shop hamsters feared the most. Being for sale meant that hamsters would be seperated from their families and put in totally different cages. Then, they would wait for some human to buy them and take them away.

"Sweetie, you're all now old enough to be put in a group of your own kind and sold. Once a hamster reaches a certain age, they don't need to be in baby care." Samantha explained. "But I don't want to be for sale! And what about you guys?" Nikki protested. "We're being transferred. To another store. So, unfortunetaly, we won't be seeing you for a long time." Angie answered. Crystal, Nikki, Haylie and Rose burst out sobbing. "This is so unfair!" Crystal choked out. After a while, the mothers began to cry as well. They all said their painful good-byes.

"Mommy..?" Crystal whimpered. "Yes, Crystal?" Angie looked down at her daughter. "I promise...I promise that I'll never leave my cage ever ever again! Just don't leave! I'm only four years old, for cryin' out loud!" Crystal protested. "Crystal...there is nothing I can do. I'll miss you though..alot." Angie sighed. Crystal let out a sob. "Cr-Crystal? I want you to remember something..._sniffles._. you are the strongest young girl I have ever met and I am proud that you are my daughter. Don't ever give up on yourself. If you want something, go for it! Go outside if you want for all I care!" she continued. "But I thought you said that I wasn't allowed outside.." Crystal started.

"Forget what I said. Promise me you'll do what your conscience tells you to do! And promise you'll take care of Nikki and the other girls." Angie told her. "What? Why me?" Crystal gasped. "Because, you're the oldest out of all of them. Now please promise me you'll do this." Angire almost begged. Crystal was silent for a while. "Okay...I promise.." Then, the little girl hugged her mother one last time...

* * *

§ _The Ham-Ham Clubhouse..._ §

(**Back to the present!**)

"..Mom and the others left that day. And like she said, we were put into our own little species. Thankfully, since Nik and I looked so alike, we were put together." Present-day Crystal stared at the table. The others listened intently.

"I recently visited Haylie and Rose. A few days later, my owner today and her cousin--which is **seriously **ironic since me and Nikki are cousins--bought me and Nikki. Life was good since that day. I guess I was so caught up with living with Catrina, that I ended up growing up without thinking about my childhood friend...whose name **still **slips me to this very second! I almost forgot about him...until today.."

_To be con't...

* * *

_

**A/N: FINALLY! THE END OF CHAPTER 11...and the beginning of chapter 12...greeeeeaaaat! Luckily, it is also the final chapter of Childhood Friends. Why? Because, there's gonna be a sequel. Duh! _smiles_ Also I have some more news. I'm going on vacation...AGAIN! Only this time, it's a whole week! _frowns_ I hope you guys can bear without having me updating! That's why I seperated Childhood Friends.**

**You see, I wasn't intentionally planning on splitting it in two, but when I realized how slow things were going and that I still had a lot more to write, I decided, "Oh hell! Do yourself a favor and split the story!" So, there will be a sequel coming up after chapter 12. I'll get more to that on chapter 12. **

**Okay, now that you know..**

**Back to writing out chapter 12!**

**Buh-bye!**

**crystalgurl101**


	12. Who Is He?

**A/N: FINALLY! The last chapter before the sequel! Here, Sandy starts to suspect who Crystal's anomynous friend might be. Okay, enough blahblahblah. Let's move on!

* * *

**

Chapter 12: Who Is He?

_"..Mom and the others left that day. And like she said, we were put into our own little species. Thankfully, since Nik and I looked so alike, we were put together. Since I was older, I was in charge; yeah...**wasn't** easy! I recently visited Haylie and Rose. They were alright by themselves. A few days later, my owner and her cousin--which is **seriously **ironic since me and Nikki were cousins--bought us. Life was good since that day. I guess I was so caught up with living with Catrina, that I ended up growing up without thinking about my childhood friend...whose name **still **slips me to this very second! I almost forgot about him...until today.."_

"Wow! I never realized how tough it was for you! I mean, having your best friend leave, and the next day--your mom!" Pashmina frowned. "I am truly very sorry!" Dexter bowed his head. "Moi too." Bijou nodded. "Me three." Boss rubbed away tears before anyone could see him. Everyone else murmured their apologies.

Crystal simply smiled and shrugged. "Aww, it's no big deal really! Besides, that was a looong time ago!" Finally, Crystal hopped off her chair. "My butt's falling asleep from sitting so much!" she suddenly complained."What do you do for fun around here?"

The Ham-Hams exchanged confused looks at each other. Crystal had just told them one of the most dramatic stories they had ever heard, and yet she just let it roll off her back like it was no big deal! "I've told the story plenty of times. I don't need another pity party." Crystal said as if she could read their minds. "Uhh...okay then." Boss shrugged.

* * *

§_Meanwhile, someplace in town not too far away from the Clubhouse... _§ 

"And that was the last time I ever saw her. Then fast forward, fast forward, I grew up, and now I'm grown, mature and **extremely** handsome! The end!" Stan boasted with a wink. "Umm..riiight." Hamtaro sweatdropped. He secretly wondered if Stan was talking about Sandy when he had said that last part. "Whoa! It's late! We should be at the clubhouse! Besides, she's not home. We'll try again tomorrow." Stan hopped to his feet.

"Heke? That's it? You tell me your sad childhood, then put a smile on your face and move on like nothing happened just because it happened oh so long ago?" Hamtaro asked. "Umm, **duh**!" Stan replied as if it was obvious.

"Why? It sounds like you really liked her." Hamtaro pointed out. Stan almost choked on his spit.(**A/N: Does that ever happen to you, cause I'll admit it--it happens to me! _blushes_**) "Ham-dude...I was **four years old**! Not even I had crushes on girls when I was four!" Stan stated. "Just checking!" Hamtaro shrugged innocently. Stan glared. Hamtaro had his ways.

"Whatever, man. We should be going!" Stan sighed. Hamtaro nodded in agreement and stood up. "Say, what are you going to do with that?" Hamtaro asked, nodding towards the hairclip with his chin. Stan just then realized he still had the hairclip look-alike in his paw. "Oopsie! Gotta put this back!" Stan exclaimed.

Stan climbed the vine and set the hairclip carefully--almost respectfully--on the windowsill. Hamtaro followed him. It gleamed in the sunlight, almost blinding Stan, if he hadn't backed off. It looked so much like it. Just looking at it brought a familiarimage to Stan's mind. It was young Crystal's shocked face when she first saw it.

* * *

§ _Flashback... _§ 

_"Do you like it, Crystal?"_

_"Well, duh I do!"_

§ _End of flashback... _§

* * *

"Hey Stan, even though you didn't 'like-like' her as you say, would you still wish that was her hairclip and not someone else's?" Hamtaro asked. "I guess. I dunno." Stan shrugged his shoulders flatly, turned around and slid down the vine. Hamtaro stared after him. Then, the orange/white hamster's eyes trailed back to the hairclip. He innocently stared at it. Hamtaro just then noticed a ham-sized pencil and a slit of paper--tiny in a human's eye, but normal-sized for a hamster. 

"Hey, Hamtaro! Ya' comin?" Stan's voice shouted at him. "Uh, just a sec!" Hamtaro called back. He grabbed both and scribbled something on the piece of paper. When he was done, Hamtaro slid the paper under the hairclip and placed the pen beside it. "Hamtaro, what are you doing up there? Leaving a message or something!" Stan asked impatiently. "No!" Hamtaro lied, a smile planted firmly on his face. He slid down the vine to see Stan on the sidewalk, waiting impatiently for him.

"Sorry. I just wanted to look inside." Hamtaro fibbed, giving him an innocent and apologetic look. "Well, did you?" Stan asked. "Uh, yeah. C'mon, let's go!" Hamtaro began to sprint off, Stan closely at his side. While they ran, Stan thought of Hamtaro's question.

_Would you wish that was Crystal's hairclip and not someone else's? _the words echoed silently in his head.

_I'm not sure..._ he silently answered.

As they vanished from the mansion, the paper and pen Hamtaro had left behind stayed in it's place. The words in itwere clean, clear and perfect to see. It said:

"_You dropped this._

_XXX_

_Stan and Hamtaro"_

**A/N: Aww! How sweet!I think...**

_

* * *

_

§ _Meanwhile outside of the Clubhouse... _§

"Ahhh! Nothin' like the smell of fresh air!" Crystal smiled brightly. She twirled around like a graceful ballerina as the Ham-Hams caught up to her. "This is a really nice town, you know. What's first?" Crystal asked eagerly, her cute, bright eyes sparkling. She seemed so curious and lively when she blinked. Almost like an innocent child.

"Weellll...we could go tothe Ham-Ham Amusement Park! It has everything you could imagine in a theme park! Panda came up with the idea and we helped built it ourselves!"Pashmina suggested. "Cooli-o! I've never been to an amusement parkfor hamsters before!" Crystal squealed. "Then, let's go!" Panda said.

"Hmm..." Sandy hummed out loud. "What eez eet Sandy?" Bijou looked at the tiger-striped female. "Well...don't you like, get this totally wierd feeling. About Crystal's friend?" Sandy asked her in a whisper.

"What do you mean?" the french hair ribbon-lover cocked her head to the side.

"Well, **everything** she said about him. Think about it, Bij. Crystal said thathe **looked** like me, he was kinda flirty, he caused some trouble--with her of course, **and **he was slightly older than her! Don't you think it sounds a **little** like Stan? I mean, he's my twin bro, he's a total flirt machine, a troublemaker and he seems a bit older thanCrystal if you compare those two. Do you get where I'm like, going here?"

"Hmm..you **are **right about zhat. Zhere are alot of coincidences zhat match up her friend's character traits with Stan's." Bijou nodded as she thought it over carefully. "But are you completely certain and convinced eet eez your brozzer? Eet could be anyone!"

Sandy sighed. "See, that's the part that's got me all twisted up. I'm not sure! " she replied.

"Sandy! Bijou! Ya' coming?" Pepper called. The hamsters were already on their way. "Oh oui! We shall catch up with you shortly! Go ahead, we'll be just one moment, pleez!" Bijou shouted back. "Ookaay! But make it snappy!" Pepper nodded and kept walking.

"What does she mean by 'snap-py?'" Bijou squinted at the unfamiliar word. "Doesn't matter. We should catch up. Who knows! It could be Stan. It could not." Sandy said.

"You are right. Eet could be just about anyone. And if eet eez Stan, zhen what a surprise eet will be!" Bijou added with a smile and took off to catch up with the other hamsters.

When Bijou was out of hearing distance, Sandy's lit smile faded into a frown. "But like, seriously..." There was one question that continuously bugged her mind.

_"Who **is **he?"_

§ § §

_To Be Continued...

* * *

_

**A/N: Well, there it is! The very last chapter of "Childhood Friends", but the beginning of a new second-part-of-a-story, A.K.A, The Sequel! YAAAAAAYYYYYY! I'M SO TOTALLY PSYCHED!**

**The sequel to Childhood Friends is gonna be called...it's gonna be called..._cricket chirps_...holy crap! I have a problem. I don't know what the title of the sequel should be! **

**WEE-OO! WEE-OO! WEE-OO! TITLE ALERT! TITLE ALERT!**

**Hey, I know! Do any of you have any suggestions for the sequel's title? If you do thendo me a favor and ****pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasePLEEEEEAAAAASE tell me in your review! I'm totally beggin' you! I really need a title! If I don't have a title, I don't have a sequel! And no sequel means no official end to Childhood Friends! If you don't have any ideas, at LEASTlemme' know you got nothing! If you have the best--wait! You don't even KNOW what the sequel's about! How can you come up with a title if you have no summary? Stupid me!**

**Okay here's the deal:**

**The Ham-Hams finds out who Crystal's friend is.(who's OBVIOUSLY Stan!)How do they find out? You'll have to read that! Sorry, but I'm givin' away enough info as it is! Anyways, they plan a surprise reunion party for them, but the hard part? Keeping Stan and Crystal from running into each other before the party even starts! So, in order to keep the two hamsters distracted, they have to make some pretty desperate decisions and do the stupidest things that they would never IMAGINE doing!**

**Now you know.**

**If you have any ideas for the title, puuulllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaase lemme know! If I like your title the best, I'll dedicate the first three chapters to you. That's right, THREE! No, I'm not desperate, I'm being super-generous...okay I'm KINDA desperate. Buta majority of you arewriters, right? _Riight!_And you can think of something, right? _Riight!_**** I mean, why else would you BE in fanfiction for?(Besides browsing around and reading stories and writing reviews for each story you read)**

**Exactly!**

**Okay, I'm gonna stop right here.**

**There, I did my job, now you do yours--REVIEW!**

**Until then, bye-bye!**

**XOXO**

**crystalgurl101**


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